Next EU sanctions to target 'Russian state propagandists'

BRUSSELS

The next EU sanctions package will target "Russian state propagandists" and extend the export ban to items worth over €10 billion ($10.8 billion), the president of the European Commission said on Thursday.

Ursula von der Leyen spoke at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and head of the European Council Charles Michel after Zelenkyy’s meeting with the 27 EU leaders.

“Russia must pay for the destruction caused and for the blood spilled,” von der Leyen said, announcing that the EU will soon adopt the 10th sanctions package in response to Russia's war on Ukraine.

She stressed that besides extending the bloc’s blacklist to a “number of political and military leaders,” the EU “will target (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s propagandists because their lies are poisoning the public space in Russia and abroad.”

Von der Leyen explained that they included the new names on the sanctions list upon the request of the Ukrainian government following their talks last week in Kyiv.

The new sanctions package will also include an additional export ban worth over €10 billion which “will further starve Russia's military machine and continue to shake the foundation of its economy,” von der Leyen added.

She also asserted that the EU “fully backs” Zelenskyy’s peace formula, and stressed that Ukraine has the right to a “just peace.”

For his part, Zelenskyy thanked the European member states for providing aid defense system but asked for further sanctions targeting the Russian military industry and its suppliers, including missile and drone manufacturers, and the IT sector.

“The European Union is Ukraine, Ukraine is the European Union,” said Michel.

He explained that the EU leaders discussed military and political support for Ukraine, as well the prospect of EU accession at the joint session.

Later in the day, Zelenskyy will hold bilateral meetings with the European leaders.

Since the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the EU and its member states have provided €50 billion in direct support to Ukraine, including more than €12 billion in military aid.

The EU has imposed nine sanctions packages against Russia, targeting, among others, Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, banning gold, oil, and coal imports and the export of luxury goods and high-tech technology, as well as excluding Russian and Belarusian banks from the SWIFT international payment system.