Western nations suspend harsh sanctions against EU Russia

• In response to the Kremlin’s recognition of the two “republics” in eastern Donbass and the introduction of the now-officially – officially – supporting Russian military, which has been supporting separatists since 2014, 27 EU ministers approved sanctions. There anyway
• EU decides to crack down on Russian government and state-owned enterprises in international capital markets and financial services
• The EU decision on Tuesday has left Brussels – like the United States – in stock, including sanctions on the financial sector and a ban on exports of high-tech goods.
• You can find stories like this on the Onet.pl homepage

“All 27 countries have agreed on how to respond to Russia’s recent actions against Ukraine,” Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s diplomatic leader in charge of the EU, announced on Tuesday evening. In retaliation for the Kremlin’s recognition of the two “republics” in eastern Donbass, the ministers of 27 EU countries approved sanctions. 2014. – Russian troops enter Donbass, which we consider part of Ukraine. This is not a complete invasion, but the presence of Russian troops on Ukrainian soil, said EU diplomat Joseph Borel.

EU “Maximum Plan”

In the event of Russia’s “armed aggression” against Ukraine, the European Union has prepared a maximum clearance plan. But in response to the Kremlin’s actions to date, Brussels had to measure it today, which neither the United States nor the European Union has ever classified in their language of approval as the new “armed invasion.”

The European Union (EU) has decided to crack down on Russian government and state-owned enterprises for access to international capital markets and financial services. This means, among other things, the restrictions on the refinancing of Russian public debt and the cut of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation from the financial markets. EU sanctions are integrated with London, Washington and Tokyo, so to avoid them, Russians should look for opportunities to borrow outside of major international exchanges. On the other hand, recent EU restrictions do not affect the ordinary banking sector in Russia as a whole.

Putin is not on the sanctions list

Until now, the “blacklist” of those responsible for undermining Ukraine’s regional integrity and those subject to EU barriers and disabled assets had 190 names. Today, the EU Foreign Council decided to extend it to another 370 members. The group includes 351 representatives of the Russian Duma, about 20 officials and generals who voted to recognize the state of Donetsk and Luhansk separatists. Vladimir Putin is not yet on the sanctions list, although much of his circle has been on the EU and US sanctions list for years.

The remaining sanctions adopted today are similar to those adopted by the Union after the annexation of Crimea. So they attack the banks that finance Russian military operations and other operations in the territories of the “republics”. They also ban investment and trade with the two separatist areas in eastern Donbass. The United States has adopted similar restrictions on Lugansk and Donetsk.

“The sanctions adopted today will hurt Russia the most,” Borel argued. Today’s set of EU sanctions is fake in the consultation between Brussels and the US administration on Monday night. The original draft was mild because it was “only” designed to recognize the separatist state. It was strengthened after the official decision to deploy Russian troops at Donbass.

The union is unanimous on sanctions

The President of the European Council Charles Michel also spoke by phone with the Prime Ministers of several EU countries last night, including Mateusz Morawiecki. And during the consultations that night, he received the pledge of Prime Minister Victor Orban on his support for the union’s unanimous decision on sanctions. – Different sounds are coming from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the meeting of EU ambassadors, but the Prime Minister decides. Orban’s message of unity was clear to Michael – explained by a senior official at the Eurozone on Tuesday.

The EU’s decision on Tuesday has left Brussels – like the United States – in reserve, with sanctions on the financial sector and a ban on exports of high – tech goods. The Baltic states have already called for the use of heavier weapons, but the largest EU countries have strongly encouraged a “gradual” approach to sanctions. So what is tightening the controls? More than half of the Donbass are under Ukrainian control. Will the military’s attempt to change the current demarcation line with Russian support qualify as an “armed invasion”?

– We are not now discussing the details of the next extension limits depending on the severity of the sanctions – explains our speaker. Each strengthening of sanctions represents costs to EU countries (and as a result of anticipated anti-Russian sanctions), so further efforts are needed to strengthen the consensus needed to recognize EU sanctions.

Leaving the Nord Stream 2 issue to Berlin’s conclusion, formally outside the EU sanctions package, was a solution from the outset during EU preparations related to the sanctions. – Welcome to the brave new world where Europeans will soon pay € 2,000 for 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas! – Dmitry Medvedev, vice president of the Russian Security Council and former Russian president, has threatened on Twitter.

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