EU is already advancing new sanctions against Russia - what is being proposed and will there be a change in approach
Kyiv • UNN
Kaja Kallas said that a proposal for sanctions against 1,600 entities in russia’s military-industrial complex is being advanced. The new restrictions may be adopted in the autumn.
The European Union has taken another step toward introducing new sanctions against Russia. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on September 2 that a new proposal for restrictions against 1,600 entities was advancing within the bloc, while not ruling out expanding the list, UNN writes.
New sanctions against the Russian Federation
The EU's High Representative, arriving at an informal meeting of the EU countries' foreign ministers, announced that an attack in Leipzig would be discussed.
"First of all, of course, everyone will discuss the attacks in Leipzig, and it is also obvious that this bears all the hallmarks of state terrorism. The question is, what do we do about it? We have already summoned the Russian ambassadors, as have many member states, and we will discuss what else we can do," Kallas said.
We are already advancing a list of 1,600 entities from Russia's military complex, and more may be added. Of course, this is not something we are deciding today, since this is an informal meeting. But we will certainly discuss it
Russian hybrid attacks are an "alarm bell" for countries that have so far been reluctant to impose deeper sanctions, she said.
According to Radio Free Europe's Europe editor Rikard Jozwiak on X on September 2, "EU member states have received a proposal to impose sanctions against another 1,600 individuals/organizations from the Russian Federation."
Meanwhile, Jozwiak noted, "only Slovakia is opposing the extension of the current blacklist (3,000+) for 12 months instead of the current 6."
What the new sanctions entail
In August, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that the European Union intended to significantly expand sanctions against Russia in the coming months because of its war in Ukraine.
"EU sanctions have already cost Russia dearly, depriving its war machine of more than €1 trillion (US$1.16 trillion), and in the autumn I will propose the farthest-reaching sanctions lists since the beginning of the war," Kallas told Die Welt.
"Once adopted, the total number of sanctioned Russian organizations will immediately increase by one-third. The pressure must continue to grow until Moscow ends its war," Kallas said.
At the time, she did not specify the timing or details of the new sanctions lists, but later EU diplomatic sources told Reuters that the European External Action Service (EEAS) would propose adding around 1,600 individuals and organizations based in Russia and focused on Moscow's military-industrial complex to the list.
They added that the new sanctions would include travel and transaction bans, as well as asset freezes. The EU has already listed nearly 3,000 individuals and companies.
The aim is to adopt the new sanctions in October, Reuters sources added.
What else is being proposed amid the attack in Leipzig
The foreign ministers of European countries will discuss adapting their approach to sanctions against the Russian economy at a meeting on September 2. This is happening as the EU seeks to maintain pressure on Moscow, Euractiv notes.
Although Germany's accusations that Russia was behind the attack on Leipzig airport this summer gave fresh political impetus to calls for sanctions, the real reason for reconsideration, the publication writes, "is the growing difficulty of reaching unanimous agreement on new sanctions."
The latest package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, it is noted, "turned into a fierce tug-of-war between Greece and other member states in July, as Athens sought to protect its profitable gas transportation sector."
The heated discussions showed some that the EU's method of gradually increasing pressure on Moscow through large-scale cross-sectoral sanctions packages is exhausting its potential, the publication points out.
Instead, according to Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, the EU is exploring a more fragmented, or "thematic," approach.
"Whenever we have an ecosystem ready for sanctions, such as Russian ballistic missiles or cryptocurrencies, as soon as we have it, let's simply impose sanctions. We need to be faster," Braže said.
"Last time, there were issues unrelated to sanctions that delayed [the package]," she said. Large packages can still be proposed to include "slower" issues, Braže added.
The Baltic minister said that Europe should respond to Russia's attack in Leipzig by reducing the presence of Russians in Europe, restricting tourist visas and tightening restrictions on embassies.
What is Ukraine's position
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also took part in the informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the European Union member states in the "Gymnich" format on September 2.
Speaking to journalists before the event began, the Foreign Minister stressed the need for a joint and resolute European response to the intensification of Russian aggression, including hybrid attacks against European states.
"Europe may think that it is not at war with Russia, but Russia does not think so (...) Putin will escalate, Putin does not want to end this war, so we must act jointly and decisively," Sybiha said.
The minister said that he would brief his European colleagues on the situation on the battlefield, Russia's missile terror and Ukraine's proposals for intensifying peace efforts. He would also call for stronger support for Ukraine's air defense and increased pressure on Russia, in particular through new sanctions against its missile production capabilities.
"We are working to secure additional strong decisions on closing Ukraine's skies," Ukraine's Foreign Minister stressed.
Sybiha paid particular attention to Ukraine's preparations for the coming winter and the need for additional support for the energy system, including generators, transformers and other necessary equipment.
"We are counting on the support of our partners to get through this winter with concrete decisions and concrete support," the minister said.
Other issues included the use of frozen Russian assets, Ukraine's further progress on its path toward EU membership and increasing pressure on Russia by blocking the Black Sea, which poses threats to global food security.
Kallas, for her part, noted regarding Ukraine that "it is clear that we need to coordinate what else we can do in this situation, when Russia is escalating and is truly killing civilians and causing them as much harm as possible."
"The discussions [will be about] how we can actually increase pressure on Russia so that they stop this war," the EU's chief diplomat noted.