War in Ukraine: The European Union adopts new sanctions against Russia
European Union governments agreed on Thursday on a ninth package of sanctions against Russia, as a result of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, European diplomats said, Reuters reports. According to the quoted source, the package will be formalized through what the EU calls a "written procedure" by noon on Friday.
The new sanctions blacklist nearly 200 people from Russia and ban investment in the Russian mining industry, among other things. Blacklisting leads to the freezing of assets and a ban on entry into the EU. Opened in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea, this list already includes 1,241 individuals and 118 entities. The decision, which requires unanimity, came after Poland and Lithuania warned that the proposed food security exemptions could actually benefit Russian fertilizer oligarchs. The EU executive also proposed banning the export to Russia of components for the manufacture of drones, as well as suspending four new Russian media outlets accused of participating in Kremlin propaganda.
