Ireland, Poland and the Baltic states want a new package of European Union (EU) sanctions against Russia to apply to the energy company Gazprom’s bank, according to a proposal published this Friday by Spanish news agency Europa Press.
The proposal of Ireland, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia is to expand the list of persons excluded from the Swift bank transfer connection system to include Gazprombank, Alfa-Bank, Rosbank and Tinkoff Bank.
The Five also want the EU to ban the import of diamonds and cigarettes from Russia, as well as a ban on cooperation with Moscow in the field of nuclear energy.
The proposal was submitted as part of ongoing negotiations on a new package of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine on February 24 this year.
The five countries also want to ban the services of Russian insurance companies, as well as ban the import of products derived from liquefied petroleum gas into the EU.
Another point of the document referred to by Europa Press is the veto on the exploration, production and distribution with Russia of crude oil, natural gas and other fossil fuels, as well as the construction of facilities, equipment or technologies related to the production of electricity.
The proposal also provides for a ban on the purchase of real estate in the EU by citizens and companies of the Russian Federation.
The EU countries intend to introduce new restrictive measures against Moscow after the announcement of a partial mobilization of the population, nuclear threats and referendums in the Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
Negotiations will continue this weekend in Brussels with the aim of producing a first text early next week, to be discussed at ambassadorial level on Wednesday, the Spanish agency added.
The EU and countries such as the US, UK and Japan have consistently imposed sanctions packages against Moscow’s interests since Russia invaded Ukraine seven months ago.
In addition to the sanctions, Western allies have been supplying Ukraine with weapons that have enabled Ukrainian forces to launch a counter-offensive in recent weeks.
Facing setbacks in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced a partial mobilization of 300,000 reservists and threatened to use all weapons, including nuclear weapons, if Russia’s territorial integrity is threatened.
Putin’s warning applies to the Ukrainian territories of Crimea, annexed in 2014, as well as Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, where votes to unify with Russia began this Friday.
Ukraine and the international community do not recognize the legitimacy of the ongoing referenda, which will last until September 27.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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