The European Commission recommended on Tuesday to the 27 countries of the European Union (EU) to strengthen sanctions against Moscow, including stopping coal purchases from Russia and closing European ports for Russian-operated vessels.
Ursula von der Leyen, head of the commission, said that “it is clear that we need to increase our pressure even more” in the context of the hardening experienced after the discovery of large numbers of bodies in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv region. Withdrawal of Russian troops…
EU countries are under pressure to hit Russia in the energy sector, which for Moscow represents the main source of financing for the war.
The Commission, the EU’s executive body, is also proposing to increase banking sanctions and ban exports of key industrial materials and components, such as advanced semiconductors, to Russia worth 10 billion euros ($11 billion).
Expanding vodka and other Russian products from the list of products closed for import into the EU is also under consideration.
The commission’s proposal will be submitted to the 27 EU member states with anticipation of its approval on Wednesday.
Until now, European countries that are most dependent on Russia’s energy imports, such as Germany, Austria and Italy, have resisted stopping gas and oil purchases from this country.
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.