European Union member states are finalizing on Monday the approval of the ninth round of sanctions against Russia after reaching an agreement to blacklist 144 individuals and 48 entities involved in the escalation of the war in Ukraine, EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell has announced.
In a press conference from Brussels after the meeting of European foreign ministers, the head of European diplomacy has pointed out that the list of individual sanctions has been agreed at the level of the Twenty-seven, so he expects the final agreement «this week» and that the EU will approve in «a matter of hours» the «tough package» in response to the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.
The ninth round of sanctions, which has been under discussion for weeks by EU countries, will include measures against the export of drones and restrictions on the finance sector. All European sources consulted suggest that they could be approved before the European Council on Thursday.
«There is not 100 percent agreement. Some member states do not agree. I am sure we will reach an agreement, the problem is not a member state, but rather what kind of exceptions we implement to ensure that there is no collateral damage and at the same time we do not empty the impact of sanctions,» the High Representative has exposed.
The figure was later confirmed by the Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, who told a press conference after the meeting with his European counterparts that 144 persons and 48 entities were involved in the aggression against Ukraine.
The meeting came in the midst of tension due to Hungary’s threat to obstruct the sanctions against Russia, an obstructionist attitude that extends to other initiatives such as the macro-financial assistance of 18 billion euros for 2023.
In this regard, Albares was critical that the aid to Kiev has not already been approved, given that the country needs it «desperately». «We do not agree with the position of those who are preventing it from being adopted,» he said, insisting that support for this macro-financial assistance package is «overwhelming.»
