The European Union adopted the ninth package of sanctions against Russia

On Thursday, the European Union countries reached an agreement on the ninth in a series of sanctions against Russia since the country’s last attack on Ukraine in February of this year. Heads of state and government of the member states said during the EU summit on Thursday that they are also ready to introduce additional sanctions packages.

“The European Union stands ready to further strengthen restrictive measures,” the statement read. conclusions From the last EU summit of the year.

Among other things, EU countries have agreed to ban the export of engines to Russia and countries like Iran that could then be used in drones. Other goods such as generators, electrical circuits and cameras are added to the export ban list. Additional sanctions were imposed on Russian banks, the mining sector and media channels.

Nearly 200 other people and organizations have been placed on the federation’s blacklist with assets frozen and entry banned as a result. This includes, among others, people who have been involved in the kidnapping of Ukrainian children to Russia, Russian ministers and those responsible for missile attacks against civilians.

Since then, there are more than 1,200 people and more than 100 companies and organizations in Black list Which was established for the first time in 2014 when Russia occupied the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.

Compromise on fertilizer

In previous sanctions packages, a number of Russian CEOs of major chemical and fertilizer companies have been blacklisted, citing their support for Russia’s wars. Many countries – including France, Germany and the Netherlands – were concerned in negotiations for the ninth package that it would make it difficult to make payments for fertilizer and food exports to starving countries.

Thursday’s settlement was possible after member states were given the option to bypass the asset freeze on these people if doing so was “absolutely necessary” to facilitate exports of food and fertilizer to Africa in particular, EUobserver reports. At the same time, Hungary demanded that three Russian ministers be removed from the black list.

More details about the sanctions package, including those blacklisted, will be announced once the decision is officially approved and subsequently published in the EU’s Official Journal. This is expected to happen later on Friday.