The EU wants to bar former or current soldiers who have served the Russian armed forces from entering the bloc, according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. “Europe’s door should not be open to Russia’s (ex-)combatants,” she wrote on X.
The measures include new export restrictions on goods that could be used by Russia’s military industry, as well as import restrictions, in von der Leyen’s words, to “lock in diversification away from Russian imports.”
The package targets another 31 Russian banks as well as 20 banks in third countries accused of serving sanctioned Russian individuals and entities to “deprive Russia of the means to fund its war” against Ukraine, as Kallas summed up on X. The bloc will also prohibit crypto-asset service providers in third countries from helping to circumvent the sanctions.
Additionally, the EU plans to freeze the price of Russian oil to stop Moscow from benefiting from the rise in oil prices resulting from Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The EU is also adding more vessels from Russia’s so-called shadow fleet to the sanctions list, and is increasing sanctions for those assisting the fleet’s vessels.
The new sanctions package also targets Belarus, which is in a customs union with Russia. As such, the Moscow-dependent regime in Minsk has served as a backdoor for circumventing restrictions on trade with Russia.
Von der Leyen argued that the EU sanctions have been effective so far, citing what she described as declining living standards, high inflation and rising taxes in Russia. The Commission chief started presenting new packages last year.
“The price Russia pays is heavier by the day. And it is paid primarily by the people of Russia,” she said.