Five EU countries are in favor of tougher sanctions against Russia – Bloomberg

Poland, Ireland and the three Baltic states are demanding more pressure on Russia in a new package of European Union sanctions. This is reported by Bloomberg, citing sources and a document that the agency has at its disposal.

The publication notes that Poland, Ireland and the three Baltic countries want the EU to expand its sanctions on Russian energy to include a ban on liquefied natural gas (LPG) and restrictions on cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.

The proposals from the EU group also include the exclusion of more Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system, starting with Gazprombank.

Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ireland and Poland have also proposed banning insurance services, as well as tightening restrictions on transactions with crypto assets, the document says.

The five countries are also proposing to ban the use of Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab’s products in the EU and tighten existing restrictions on technology exports.

Bloomberg provides a list of sanctions, which were also discussed at a meeting of EU ministers:

– expansion of restrictions imposed on the entry of Russian ships into EU ports;
– to impose a ban on the provision of IT services in Russia, including software and services in the field of cybersecurity;
– imposing sanctions on more Russian propaganda media and prohibiting organizations registered in the EU from receiving funding from organizations associated with the Russian state;
– ban the import of Russian diamonds and limit the import of Russian steel;
– prohibit the sale of real estate to Russian companies and citizens who are not EU residents.

The media reported that the countries had tentatively agreed to limit the price of Russian oil as part of the eighth package of sanctions against Russia in response to mobilization in the Russian Federation. Bloomberg clarifies that such a measure would likely require easing a ban on services, such as insurance, needed to transport some of Russia’s oil supplies.

According to Bloomberg, EU member states are aiming to conclude a political agreement within weeks that would impose a price cap on Russian oil. This push intensified after Putin announced a partial mobilization of troops.