EU proposes sanctions against Russia for first time with restrictions on third-country ports – media
The European Union has proposed a new package of sanctions against Russia, which for the first time includes restrictions on third-country ports: Kulevi in Georgia and Karimun in Indonesia, which process Russian oil, Reuters reports, citing a document with a corresponding proposal.
The proposal would ban EU companies and individuals from conducting any transactions with the ports. The measures are part of the European Union’s 20th package of sanctions in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine, prepared by the EU’s diplomatic service, the European External Action Service, and the European Commission, and require unanimous approval by member states.
In addition, the new sanctions would impose a ban on imports of metals, including nickel ingots, iron ores and concentrates, raw and processed copper, and various types of metal scrap, including aluminum. Imports of salt, ammonia, gravel, silicon and hides would also be prohibited.
The document provides for the use of anti-circumvention tools targeting third countries. In particular, the sale of metal-cutting machine tools and communications equipment to Kyrgyzstan would be banned. The proposal also calls for adding two Kyrgyz banks — Keremet Bank and OJSC Capital Bank of Central Asia — to the sanctions list for providing crypto services to Russia, as well as banks in Laos and Tajikistan, while at the same time removing two Chinese banks.
The European External Action Service proposes adding 30 individuals and 64 companies to the sanctions regime, which already includes asset freezes and travel bans. The entities include Bashneft and eight Russian oil refineries, among them the Tuapse and Syzran plants controlled by Rosneft. The proposal does not currently include Rosneft or Lukoil themselves, which are already under U.S. sanctions.
As reported, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a special statement on Friday that the EU’s new, 20th, sanctions package against Russia would include a full ban on maritime transport of Russian oil, tighter export restrictions on Russia, an expansion of sanctions against the shadow fleet to include an additional 43 vessels, and an anti-circumvention instrument.
