A European proposal to include the Russian army and 3 banks on the sanctions list

On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed adding about 200 individuals and entities to the sanctions list against Russia, including the army and three banks.

"The eight sanctions packages that have been adopted so far are already hurting Russia. But today we are increasing the pressure" in response to the continuing war in Ukraine, von der Leyen said.

This ninth package needs the unanimous approval of the 27 member states of the European Union.

The new sanctions will be in addition to the comprehensive ban on imports of Russian oil transported by sea, which took effect this week, and to the global ceiling for the Russian oil price set with the G7 countries and Australia.

The President of the European Commission proposed adding "Russian armed forces, officers and companies from the Russian defense industry" to the list of individuals and entities subject to EU sanctions.

To these should be added "members of the State Duma and the Federation Council, ministers, governors of regions and political parties."

According to von der Leyen, they play a major role in "Russian missile strikes" against civilians, "kidnapping Ukrainian children who were taken to Russia" and "stealing Ukrainian agricultural products."

Inclusion on the sanctions list leads to an asset freeze and a ban on entry into the territory of the European Union.

Brussels also proposed sanctioning "three new Russian banks", notably by imposing a blanket ban on the transactions of the Russian Regional Development Bank "in order to further cripple the financial machine" of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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