US President Joe Biden and other G7 leaders announced today their commitment to ban or phase out Russian oil imports. Europe is heavily dependent on Russian gas and oil. The White House said sanctions had been announced on all three Russian television channels.
This is the third virtual meeting of the G7 (France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and United States) with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the war with Russia.
This will be a serious blow to the main artery of the country’s economy. [presidente russo Vladimir] Putin and will refuse the necessary revenue to finance his war.
Excerpt from the White House statement
Two weeks ago, the EU’s (European Union) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that dependence on Europe “goes too far” and that Russia is using the situation as an “act of aggression”.
According to EU data for 2020 released by Reuters, Russia was responsible for supplying just over a quarter of the oil imported by countries in the bloc. Among the European G7 countries, Germany had the highest dependence on Russian oil and derivatives – about a third of the country’s import volume, according to the International Energy Agency’s November 2021 figures.
Europeans World War II in Europe on 8 May. As we commemorate the end of World War II, the date selection for the G7 meeting is highly symbolic.
The meeting was also held on the eve of the military parade on May 9, in which the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany was celebrated in Russia. Western officials believe that Vladimir Putin will use this date to officially declare war on Ukraine.
According to the White House, the affected TV stations are directly or indirectly controlled by the state – the decision affects Joint Stock Company Channel One Russia, Television Station Russia-1 and Joint Stock Company NTV Broadcasting Company.
US sanctions televisions, bans exports and announces visa restrictions
The United States also announced sanctions affecting the media and access of Russian companies and their vast wealth to both American and British consulting and accounting services, the world’s largest experts.
Washington adds Channel One Russia, television station Russia-1, and NTV Broadcasting Company to its list, prohibiting any US company from selling advertising or equipment to fund them.
“No American company should fund Russian propaganda,” said a senior White House official, who asked not to be identified.
The same source banned “audit, management, advisory, marketing services, all services used to operate multinational companies, but potentially to evade sanctions or hide perversely acquired wealth”.
He also stressed that while Europeans have closer industrial ties to Russia, the US and UK dominate the services universe, namely through the four global auditing and consulting giants, Deloitte, EY, KPMG and the “Big Four”. PwC.
Washington also announced new bans on the export of US products to Russia on all capital goods, from excavators to ventilation systems and boilers.
Finally, it announced the imposition of visa restrictions on 2,600 Russian and Belarusian individuals, as well as sanctions against employees of Sberbank and Gazprombank banks.
New EU oil sanctions package meets Hungarian resistance
The European Union continues to face resistance to passing the sixth package of sanctions against Russia amid disagreements over a gradual embargo on Russian oil.
Topics that continue to be discussed include technical details, infrastructure recycling and how to ensure security of supply.
According to reports, Hungary opposes the proposal to ban Russian oil imports. Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the embargo would hit his economy like an atomic bomb.
Initially, the European Commission offered to end the acquisition of Hungary and Slovakia, which are heavily dependent on Russian oil, for another year from other countries in the bloc. Shortly thereafter, the document predicted that the two countries would have until the end of 2024 to reduce imports, and the Czech Republic until the middle of the same year.
*With information from AFP, Ansa and Reuters
source: Noticias
