Maud Descamps edited by Ugo Pascolo 8:01 p.m., April 05, 2022

The 27 still want to increase the pressure on Moscow, while the Russians are accused of "war crimes" by Volodymyr Zelensky.

The European Union will therefore announce a fifth salvo of sanctions concerning the energy sector, transport and the banking sector.

A fifth round of sanctions against Russia announced on Wednesday.

While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday urged the UN to act "immediately" against Russia in view of its "war crimes" committed according to him in Ukraine, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wants increase the pressure on Moscow.

Concretely, the 27 are considering a new salvo of sanctions, the fifth, against Vladimir Putin's Russia.

Stop Russian coal exports...

The European Union wants in particular to focus on the energy sector by simply stopping imports of Russian coal, which represents 45% of the imports of the 27 in this area.

The shortfall for the Kremlin is estimated at four billion euros per year.

But Russian oil is also in the sights.

Measures should be decided on Wednesday at the European Council, said the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire.

Transport will also be targeted by the new European sanctions.

Thus, ports on the Old Continent would be off-limits to Russian ships and Russian-operated ships, while Russian road transport would also be affected.

...and expand trade and banking sanctions

Moreover, trade sanctions will become more oppressive for Moscow's wallet.

Brussels is going to prohibit ten billion euros worth of exports to Russia of equipment and industrial components that are crucial, such as semiconductors, for example.

Finally, on the banking side, four new Russian establishments will be excluded from the Swift system, while the list of personalities whose assets are frozen will be expanded.