The European Commission says it is working around the clock to eliminate possible gaps that allow to circumvent sanctions and supply Russia with components for weapon production used in the war of aggression against Ukraine, Spokesperson for the European Commission Daniel Ferrie said at a press briefing in Brussels on Monday.

The European Commission is working hard to ensure that the EU sanctions cannot be circumvented by third countries, he said, adding that the EU sees that some items may enter a third country, appear in Russia and then on the battlefield in Ukraine. The European Commission is working around the clock to ensure that the so-called battlefield goods are not re-exported to Russia through third countries, Ferrie said.

The spokesperson also noted the work of EU Sanctions Envoy David O'Sullivan who visits these third countries and has already seen some positive signs in some of these third countries. Part of the sanctions is aimed very specifically at the Russian military-industrial sector to try to reduce its military potential in Ukraine, he said.

Ferrie recalled that the main goal of EU sanctions against Russia is to undermine its military potential and affect the income that finances the war in Ukraine.