China News Service, February 16 (Xinhua) Comprehensive foreign media reports, as the Ukrainian crisis is approaching the first anniversary, the European Union once again took action against Russia, intending to wield the tenth round of sanctions.
The EU not only wanted Russia to lose more than 10 billion euros this time, but also included Iranian entities on the sanctions list for the first time.
Sanctions will cost Russia 11 billion euros?
According to Reuters, on the 15th local time, 27 EU countries held a meeting in Brussels to discuss the implementation of the tenth round of sanctions against Russia, banning the export of related industrial products and dual-use products to Russia, and sanctioning seven Iranian entities.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this could cost Russia 11 billion euros.
Data map: European Commission President von der Leyen
The European Union is expected to agree to a new 10th round of sanctions on the one-year anniversary of the escalating crisis in Ukraine, but the details need to be discussed among member states.
"We are talking about 11 billion euros. We propose to restrict the export to Russia of dual-use electronic components that can be used in Russian weapons systems." Von der Leyen said of the upcoming tenth round of sanctions.
Regarding the EU's further tightening of export controls on dual-use products and high-tech products, sources said, these products include electronic components, infrared thermal imaging cameras, radios and heavy vehicles, as well as mechanical steel and steel for construction and industrial and construction purposes. aluminum etc.
Two EU diplomatic sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the European Commission recommended that EU countries ban four Russian banks from using the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) international settlement system.
Sanctions against third-country entities for the first time
Regarding the export control of dual-use products, Von der Leyen specifically mentioned that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been providing drones to Russia. Technology, also known as sanctioning more Iranian entities or other state entities in the future.
This is the first time that the EU has added third-country entities to its list of dual-use sanctions against Russia.
According to the EU procedure, the European Commission's sanctions program will then be sent to the EU member states for consideration, and only if the member states unanimously approve the program can it be implemented.
Von der Leyen called on member states to quickly adopt new sanctions and implement the tenth round of sanctions against Russia before the first anniversary of the escalation of the Ukraine crisis on February 24.
In addition to imposing multiple rounds of sanctions on Russia, the EU has also imposed price caps on Russian seaborne crude oil in December 2022, and imposed price caps on Russian oil products earlier this month. Russia has decided to cut crude oil production by 500,000 barrels per day from March this year , a reduction of about 5% of current production.
So far, Russia has not responded to the EU's tenth round of sanctions proposals.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova said that Russia will respond to all sanctions based on its own national interests when talking about the EU's sanctions against Russia.
"Russia has learned to live with sanctions."
However, some analysts say that the EU has gradually reaped the consequences of blindly following the United States in imposing sanctions on Russia.
The European Union's exports to Russia have been significantly reduced, leading to a tight supply situation in Europe, soaring energy and bulk commodity prices, and worsening the European economy.