The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, assured Wednesday that the new package of sanctions that the European Union is finalizing against Vladimir Putin’s regime on the anniversary of his invasion of Ukraine will have an impact of 11 billion euros, with measures that include restrictions on exports of key technologies for Russian armaments but that will also be directed against Iran for its support of Russia.
«We will never live up to the sacrifices and courage of the Ukrainian people, but we can stand firmly by their side,» Von der Leyen proclaimed in a speech to the plenary of the European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg, France, before reviewing financial, military and political support for Kiev and stressing the bloc’s commitment to Ukrainian integration into the EU club.
«One year after (the invasion), Putin’s imperial fantasies collide with the harsh reality, while Ukraine’s dreams are more alive than ever,» said the German politician, who welcomed the fact that Ukrainians are resisting «Putin’s Machiavellian plans».
The head of the Community Executive already anticipated in her trip with part of the College of Commissioners to Kiev last February 2 that the European Union was preparing a tenth package of sanctions against the Kremlin and its accomplices to mark the first anniversary of the invasion.
Von der Leyen stressed that the international community is succeeding in «weakening» Putin’s «war machine», including with the nine sanctions packages that the European Union has adopted in the last twelve months, and explained that the EU-27 are seeking to «maintain strong pressure» with the new round of coercive measures on the table.
«This package will be worth 11 billion euros,» said the Commission president, on the impact of the new trade bans and restrictions on technology exports to Russia that are being examined this Wednesday by the member states at a meeting at ambassadorial level.
On the ambassadors’ table, European and diplomatic sources told Europa Press, are several options including sanctions on 170 individuals and entities involved in the war against Ukraine and more measures to give Member States tools to avoid circumventing sanctions, as well as banning Russian nationals from holding positions of power in companies present in critical EU infrastructure.
Specifically, Von der Leyen said that they are studying restrictions on «dozens of electronic components» used in Russian military systems, such as drones, missiles or helicopters, and that the measures will also be directed against manufacturers in Iran whose drones Moscow is using to bomb Ukraine.
«Those Iranian drones kill Ukrainian civilians, it is atrocious. That is why for the first time we are proposing sanctions against Iranian operators, including the Revolutionary Guards. It is our duty to sanction and confront Iran for supplying drones,» Von der Leyen defended.
Von der Leyen also wanted to emphasize how Putin «was wrong» to assume that European support for Ukraine would not last because it could «blackmail» the EU bloc for its dependence on Russian oil and gas. On the contrary, he argued, Putin has also «lost the energy war» and the European Union has managed to reposition itself with the help of other reliable partners.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
