Ukraine. European Union renews sanctions against Russia for another six months

EIn a statement, the EU Council announced that it has renewed the sanctions regime against the Russian Federation until July 31, 2024, also informing that it will carry out a new assessment to re-evaluate a possible extension.

Brussels introduced sanctions in 2014 in response to the annexation of the Crimean peninsula, a maneuver seen by several analysts as a “rehearsal” for the conflict that would expand to practically all of Ukrainian territory in February 2022.

“At the moment [as sanções] cover several sectors, including restrictions on trade, finance, technology, industry, transport and luxury goods”, said the European bloc body.

The sanctions also include a ban on importing or transferring oil and derivative products from Russia to the EU and the suspension of activities with Russian banks, as well as the blocking of all media outlets that, in Brussels’ view, propagate “Kremlin disinformation [Presidência russa]”.

These sanction measures are in addition to all those that the EU has approved in the last 12 sanctions packages since February 24, 2022, the day the Russian military offensive began.

“As long as the Russian Federation’s illegal actions continue to violate the prohibition on the use of force, which is a serious breach of obligations under international law, it is appropriate to maintain all measures imposed by the EU and go further if necessary,” he stressed. Brussels in the released note.

The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory has plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since the Second World War (1939-1945).

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