The ban on coal imports is the first EU sanction targeting Moscow’s lucrative energy industry since the start of the conflict and is estimated at 4 billion euros (3 3.3 billion) a year, the EU presidency announced last night. of Thursday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen first described the measures on Tuesday in a series of tweets, saying the Kremlin was “waging a cruel, ruthless war, also against the civilian population of Ukraine” and that the EU intended to “maintain the maximum pressure at this critical point “. In addition to banning coal imports, Ms Von der Leyen said Europe would cut ties with four more Russian banks, including the country’s second-largest, VTB, and ban Russian ships from accessing its ports. EU. The EU, meanwhile, said it had already begun work on a sixth round of sanctions against Russia, including oil imports. “The package is very substantial and extends sanctions against Russia to new areas and more oligarchs,” said the French presidency. Officials linked to Russian propaganda, military security and high technology linked to the war in Ukraine are believed to be next on the list for punitive measures. The news comes after EU ambassadors met in Strasbourg, eastern France, on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Ukraine and the action it needs to take. It is understood that the sanctions will take effect as soon as they are published in the EU Official Journal, most likely on Friday. Von der Leyen gestures as she speaks during a debate on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, in eastern France, on Wednesday. (AFP via Getty Images) So far, the ban on gas imports from Russia has remained inaccessible to the EU, despite the European Parliament voting this week in favor of a “direct full embargo on Russian imports of oil, coal, nuclear fuel and natural gas” from a single 513 votes to 22. However, it is up to the bloc member states to unanimously impose such bans – and energy remains vital in Europe’s trade relations with Russia. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has warned the West for weeks that paying for Russian gas and oil would help Russian President Vladimir Putin finance his war. Ms Von der Leyen has now said that, if not for gas, oil would soon be on the list. “The next step is to look at it intensively right now [is] “Oil, so that we can prepare so that we can gradually eliminate oil,” he told reporters in Strasbourg. This map shows the extent of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Press Association Pictures) On Wednesday, the United States announced sanctions against Putin’s two adult daughters – Maria Vorontsova and Katerina Tikhonova – and said it was tightening sanctions on Russian banks following revelations of “war crimes” committed by Russian forces in the Ukrainian city of Bo. from Kyiv. Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Liz Tras called on Tuesday for a “tough new wave” of sanctions on Russia by G7 and NATO ministers. He said the international community needed to increase pressure on Mr Putin “and his war machine with further coordinated sanctions”. The Independent has a proud campaign history for the rights of the most vulnerable and we first launched our “Welcome Refugees” campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and start this report on In the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we call on the government to move faster and faster to secure aid. To learn more about our Refugee Campaign, click here. To sign the application click here. If you would like to donate, click here for our GoFundMe page.
