There is a draft of a new EU sanctions package against Russia and Belarus. Bulgaria is crumbling

According to the information of the Brussels correspondent of Polish Radio, the EU wants to ban the export of technologies and equipment used in the maritime sector to Russia. It intends to impose restrictions on subsequent Russian oligarchs. Moreover, three Belarusian banks are to be disconnected from the global SWIFT system of financial settlements.

However, the European Commission has not decided to include in the sanctions package more Russian banks that would be disconnected from the SWIFT system, despite the fact that yesterday such a possibility was discussed or the closure of European ports to Russian ships.

Now the sanctions package will be dealt with by European leaders at the Paris summit. The two-day leaders’ meeting starts the day after tomorrow.

New EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus. No approval on oil and gas

“There is no unanimity regarding the suspension of gas imports, because some countries are too dependent on supplies from Russia, but it is possible to suspend oil imports, which would be even more severe for the Kremlin,” one of the EU diplomats told the Brussels correspondent of Polish Radio. Especially that in this matter, the Union has announced coordination with the G7 countries.

Bulgaria is one of the countries that are against halting the import of raw materials from Russia. As its prime minister says: – Bulgaria would support any action for Ukraine, because we are against the war, but we cannot support sanctions on oil and gas imports. For now, we have no other choice, because we are too dependent on Russian raw materials, said Kiril Petkov.

In turn, Poland is seeking to suspend coal imports from Russia and to disconnect all Russian banks from the global SWIFT system of financial settlements. So far, it has been decided to cut off seven banks. Negotiations are taking place among EU countries on this matter, and while there is agreement that the list of banks should be larger, there is still no green light for the largest one – Sberbank to be among them.

As regards sanctions against successive oligarchs, there are many voices that the EU should follow the United States’ footsteps and impose restrictions on their families as well.

Morawiecki on sanctions before departure to London

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that strong sanctions could dismantle Vladimir Putin’s war machine. Today in London, the head of government will talk to the British prime minister and leaders of the Visegrad Group countries about tightening sanctions against Russia.

At the press conference before his departure to London, Mateusz Morawiecki said that he would propose Western leaders to limit the purchase of raw materials from Russia. He indicated that the authorities in Moscow had to be cut off from the sources of financing, such as the sale of oil and gas. He argued that European countries can replace Russian raw materials by importing from other countries. “The sanctions must cost Russia a lot,” he added.

After the meeting in London, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will fly directly to Oslo, where he will discuss the situation in Ukraine with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.