Brussels (EFE).- The European Union on Thursday approved the 19th package of sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine, which pushes forward the ban on the transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to 2027, a year earlier than planned, and sanctions the Russian shadow fleet of oil tankers.
The new sanctions, which the EU unanimously approved just before European leaders held a new summit in Brussels, include a progressive ban on LNG imports, starting in April for short-term contracts and starting Jan. 1, 2027, for long-term contracts, diplomatic sources reported.
EU countries have added 117 new ships from the Russian shadow fleet to their list of restrictive measures, bringing the total number of sanctioned vessels to 558.
The EU has also decided to restrict the movement of Russian diplomats between EU countries and has punished 45 new companies that help Russia evade sanctions, including 12 from China, three from India, and two from Thailand.
«Today is a good day for Europe and Ukraine. It is extremely positive that we have reached an agreement on the 19th sanctions package against Russia,» said Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmusen, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.
The EU has also expanded the criteria for sanctioning those responsible for kidnapping Ukrainian children and bringing them to Russia.
The restrictive measures also focus on the Russian financial sector, as the EU has blocked transactions with five new banks and extended sanctions against the Russian electronic payment system. Cryptocurrency transactions have also been completely banned.
The EU has also expanded its sanctions against dual-use industrial goods used by Russia on the battlefield.
The sanctions were adopted after Slovakia approved the 19th package, which had previously also been supported by Hungary and Austria.
The EU sanctions coincide with those approved on Wednesday night by the US against Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, in response to «Russia’s lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine.» EFE
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