He G7 is preparing to deal a new blow to the Russian economy. “We will restrict the trade in Russian diamonds,” The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, announced this Friday. An announcement taken with tweezers, but with which they want to turn around the financing of the invasion in Ukraine. The president has also indicated that “Russian diamonds are not forever”: “We will explain why these sanctions are necessary and justified.”

The G7 leaders are meeting in Hiroshima, and one of the issues to be discussed is the export of Russian diamonds, one of the few goods that has not yet has been affected by sanctions. It is not the first time that the magnifying glass has been put on the sale of Russian diamonds. A year ago, the President of the United States, Joe Bidenalready announced restrictions on luxury products “including shellfish, vodka and diamonds”.

From Russia They try to downplay the matter. The spokesman for kremlinDmitry Peskov, has noted that “what Europe does not buy, they will buy elsewhere“. The measure would not only affect the invading country. It would also put the Belgian economy on the ropes because Antwerp is the main world market and Russia, the largest exporter of rough diamonds. Precious stones, many of them, extracted from Africa and stained with blood.

According to an investigation published by the media, specifically Belgians, the Wagner mercenary group would be behind a diamond sales company in the Central African Republic. Jewelry used to finance conflicts in Africa, and an important source of income for Moscow at the height of the war.

In 2021, Russian diamond exports amounted to almost 5 billion euros. Only the European Union, bought them last year almost 1.4 billion euros in diamonds

For his part, the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, was this Friday at the summit of the Arab countries. He has asked you to support his peace plan. In addition, the Ukrainian president is also expected in the G7.