EU's new sanctions targets 48 Russian officials, 9 organisations amid war in Ukraine

As the Russia-Ukraine war continues unabated, the European Union’s (EU) new package of sanctions against Moscow will target at least 48 people including Deputy Prime Minister and nine other organisations including Sberbank, said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Monday. In a video address posted on social media, Szijjarto said, “Forty-eight more people and nine organisations will be added to the EU sanctions list, including one Russian deputy prime minister, political leaders from several regions and Sberbank”.

The Hungarian Foreign Minister noted that the 27-nation-bloc, which has already provided candidacy status to Ukraine amid war with Russia, is planning an embargo on Russian gold and put additional restrictions on procurement, deposits, audit and consulting related to Russia. Szijjarto’s remarks came as the European Union foreign ministers pledged another 500 million euros in military aid to Ukraine to resist the Russian offensive.

EU’s total aid now amounts to 2.5 billion euros

The EU decision to commit more money for aid to Ukraine followed a debriefing on the latest developments by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. In the briefing, Kuleba said that he was “grateful” for the new funds which brought the bloc’s total to 2.5 billion euros but still called on the member states to provide more. 

“If anything needs to be continued, it is weapons deliveries," said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis while adding that it was also necessary to secure the port of Odessa enough to make sure grain shipments could arrive. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said also said that for the bloc, it remains essential that there was a unity of purpose to believe that the major package of the sanctions targetting Moscow will work. 

“Ukraine needs more arms," Borrell said. "We will provide them. The war will continue.” The EU foreign policy chief lashed out at the critics claiming that the measures on anything from oil sanctions to monetary aid were counterproductive and hurting the EU more than Russia.

Meanwhile, nearly five months after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a “special” military operation in Ukraine, Moscow’s forces have concentrated efforts through the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Recently, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu directed the army generals to target Ukraine’s long-range missile and artillery weapons after Kyiv used West-supplied arms.

Image: AP