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.
SANCTIONS AGAINST TECHNOLOGICAL ITEMS Later, in a recorded message, the German conservative offered more details on the Brussels proposal, which includes a ban on exports of technological items that Russia only gets from European partners, i.e. electronic goods, specialized vehicles, aircraft engines, components and spare parts for trucks, as well as construction elements that can be used by the Russian army, such as antennas.
Von der Leyen said that they are considering 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,» he has defended.
«With this we ban all technological elements that are on the battlefield and ensure that Russia has no way to get them,» he said, specifying that there will also be restrictions against seven Iranian entities that provide these elements to Moscow, thus extending the «total veto» to Iran to sell sensitive technology that Russia uses in the military invasion of Ukraine.
There will also be more measures so that member states have tools to avoid circumventing the sanctions, as well as prohibiting people with Russian nationality to hold positions of power in companies present in critical infrastructure of the EU.
SANCTIONS ON PROPAGANDA MEDIA 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.
According to the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, there will be measures against military and political commanders, as well as propagandists and those responsible for spreading disinformation. The EU will consider adding to the ‘black list’ the Kremlin’s «army of propagandists» and the media that «contaminate» the media environment.
The head of the European diplomacy explained that it will be proposed to extend sanctions to leaders in the occupied areas of Ukraine who illegally give institutional coverage to the Russian invasion, in case of legal and political leaders.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
