The 13th package is “one of the broadest” approved by the bloc, according to Brussels
The EU has agreed its 13th package of sanctions against Russia, the EU’s Belgian presidency announced on Wednesday on X (formerly Twitter).
The package will be formally approved in time for the second anniversary of the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine on February 24. Brussels has placed 12 rounds of restrictions on Russia since the start of the conflict in February 2022. The existing sanctions already target a broad range of sectors and include trade embargoes, travel bans and individual sanctions against Russian businessmen and public officials.
“EU Ambassadors just agreed in principle on a 13th package of sanctions in the framework of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” the Belgian presidency said, calling it “one of the broadest approved by the EU.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the agreement, saying in a post on X: “We must keep degrading Putin’s war machine.”
The new package will see nearly 200 entities and individuals banned from traveling to the EU, while both the individuals and companies face freezes on their assets. “With 2,000 listings in total, we keep the pressure high on the Kremlin. We are also further cutting Russia’s access to drones,” von der Leyen wrote.
I welcome the agreement on our 13th sanctions package against Russia
⁰We must keep degrading Putin's war machine.
⁰With 2000 listings in total, we keep the pressure high on the Kremlin.
⁰We are also further cutting Russia’s access to drones. https://t.co/AfSxsEUB8x— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 21, 2024