War in Ukraine: EU countries put new Russia sanctions into force

In view of the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU countries put new Russia sanctions into force. The now 17th package with punitive measures provides for further tightening of the procedure against the so-called Russian shadow fleet for the transport of oil and oil products, as EU chief diplomatin Kaja Kallas announced after a decision at a EU Minister of Ministers in Brussels.

In addition, dozens of other companies are targeted that are involved in the bypass of existing sanctions or support the Russian armaments industry. “The longer Russia wages war, the harder our reaction is,” commented Kallas on social networks.

She also pointed out that an 18th sanction package is already being planned. Among other things, it should prevent the resumption of the operation of the North Stream gas pipeline. In addition, a reduction in the price lid for Russian oil as well as other sanctions against the Russian financial sector and against ships of the Russian shadow fleet are planned.

“Vladimir Putin apparently continues to play for time”

The background to the fast clocking is that peace efforts for Ukraine recently brought no tangible results and that the West demands were not met for immediate ceasefire. “Vladimir Putin apparently continues to play for time,” said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in Brussels. In his opinion, the consequence should primarily be further sanctions against the Russian energy sector. “The most effective sanction means is the further performance of the medium inflows, the money inflows from energy sales,” he said. “The stream of money that has already become lower has to become a trickle.”

According to Kallas, around 200 other ships, the current sanction package are prohibited from entering ports in the EU. Likewise, the operators will no longer be able to benefit from the services of European companies. Around 30 economic actors will be affected by new export restrictions. Dozens of other people and companies should no longer be allowed to do business in the EU and also have to fear warrants.

The sanctions against the ships are primarily concerned with the limitation of Russian exports, but also about environmental protection. Russia has long been accused of relying on ships to circumvent a western price lid for oil exports in third countries that have not been insured in the hands of Western shipping companies or western insurance companies.

According to experts, there are major risks for shipping and the environment. For example, they point out that many tankers are outdated, have technical defects and are temporarily on the move without automatic identification system.

The last EU with Russia sanctions so far had been decided in February, to match the third anniversary of the war against Ukraine.

The effectiveness of Russia sanctions is meanwhile controversial. Critics doubt that they have a great influence on Putin’s politics. Proponents, on the other hand, point out that the punitive measures have hard the Russian economy and that the state has to cope with considerable loss of income. Accordingly, Russia would have ended the war without the sanctions for a long time.