According to diplomatic sources, the next round of EU sanctions on the Russian Federation will focus on prohibiting sales of dual-use technologies still utilized in Russian missiles and other weapons systems against Ukraine.
On February 15, EU ambassadors will meet in Brussels to debate the measures to implement them in time for the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The core of the new sanctions package will be an export embargo on Western technologies detected in Russian weaponry acquired by the Ukrainian army in recent events, according to EU diplomatic sources quoted by the EUobserver.
“We want to ensure that European technology does not end up in Russian war machines. This material is difficult to obtain in other places, such as China. According to the quoted EU official, it will be difficult to replace”.
A “long list” of individuals will also face EU visa restrictions and asset freezes under the new EU sanctions package on Russia.
“It will be a combination of Russian propagandists, MPs, military people, businessmen, and local politicians in Russia-occupied Ukraine,” the source said.
However, it is unlikely to cover Russian diamond or nuclear technology shipments to the EU, diplomatic sources said, citing persistent Belgian concerns about damaging its diamond trading center in Antwerp and Hungarian resistance to the energy plan.
Over the last year, the EU has banned 1,386 persons and 171 businesses, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and his close relatives.
It has also set price ceilings on Russian oil and gas, prohibited most purchases of Russian oil, and targeted Russian banks, energy firms, defense firms, aviation and shipping firms, and the media.
The EU ban on oil and petroleum products, combined with a multilateral “oil price cap,” will drastically reduce Russian export profits and its ability to finance the war.
Read also: Price cap on Russian oil came into effect
The Antwerp diamond sector avoided sanctions under nine European sanctions packages. They continue to believe that voluntary efforts will be sufficient to eliminate the trade in bloody Russian diamonds eventually.
Read also: Russian diamonds continue entering EU market, will they be added to sanctions list?
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