The European Council was unable to adopt the next, 18th sanctions package against the Russian Federation. The main reason for blocking the new restrictions was Slovakia’s position, which opposed increasing sanctions pressure on Moscow. Discussions regarding the introduction of new sanctions are expected to continue and may resume in the coming days.
This is reported by Business • Media
Extension of existing sanctions and Ukraine’s plans
At the same time, EU leaders agreed to extend the existing sanctions against Russia for another six months. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree to implement the decision of the National Security and Defense Council. The document provides for the synchronization of sanctions pressure from Ukraine, the European Union, and other partners, which is intended to enhance the effectiveness of restrictive measures against the Russian Federation.
“Kyiv seeks to coordinate Ukrainian and international sanctions.”
New initiatives and international cooperation
Ukraine also plans to appeal to the EU to impose sanctions against Bangladeshi companies involved in importing wheat from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories by Russia. This step aims to prevent the legalization of illegally exported Ukrainian grain in global markets.
Additionally, President Zelensky emphasized the need to create a new international platform for monitoring the export of dual-use goods. According to him, such an initiative will help prevent the supply of components to Russia, Iran, and North Korea that could be used in the production of weapons. The president highlighted that last year, the Russian military-industrial complex received equipment from at least 12 different countries around the world.