Third anniversary

EU: 16th package of sanctions against Russia

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP)

(Bild: MICHAEL GRUBER / APA / picturedesk.com)

A possible end to the war in Ukraine and tense transatlantic relations are at the top of the agenda for the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday. The meeting will take place on the third anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine. The ministers adopted the 16th package of sanctions against Russia right at the start of the Council. Austria is represented by Interim Chancellor and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP).

"This is another sign that, despite all the prophecies of doom, we as the European Union have repeatedly managed to adopt 27 resolutions together over the past three years", commented Schallenberg on the adoption of the new Russia sanctions package. He explained that the ministers were meeting today on a "sad occasion", the third anniversary of the return of war to Europe. "We are in a delicate phase," said the interim chancellor. "We must be careful not to pursue short-term goals at the expense of stability."

A war of aggression should never be rewarded and there should never be a perpetrator-victim reversal, Schallenberg continued, apparently with a view to the turnaround in the US view under the new administration of President Donald Trump. A war could not be ended "without all parties sitting at the same table". He appealed to the Europeans not to fall into "excited gasps", but to keep a "cool head".

The foreign ministers of the EU member states are meeting in Brussels.

(Bild: MICHAEL GRUBER / APA / picturedesk.com)

Schallenberg is convinced that Europe has a strong position: "The frozen Russian assets are in Europe, which will have to be part of the deal from Russia's point of view". He calls for "strategic patience". The EU must not "hide its light under a bushel" in its support for Ukraine.

Kallas plans to travel to the USA on Tuesday
EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas emphasized before the meeting on the negotiations between Russia and the USA on an end to the war in Ukraine that "no agreement can work without us". The EU and Ukraine would have to agree. She emphasized that she would hold as many talks and contacts as possible with the new US administration. She announced that she would travel to the USA on Tuesday to meet her counterpart Marco Rubio, among others, to discuss transatlantic relations and the talks on Ukraine. The Estonian also emphasized that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi is an elected head of state and not a "dictator", as Trump had called him. She had thought of a confusion with Russia's ruler Vladimir Putin.

Before the Council, Kallas said that "hopefully" the 16th package of sanctions against Russia would be adopted today. Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto renewed his threat of a blockade on Monday, which he apparently did not carry out. "The package affects vital sectors of the Russian economy and further weakens the regime's ability to wage its illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine," the Council said in a statement.

Long list of newly sanctioned persons
48 individuals and 35 entities responsible for actions that threaten the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine are also listed. For the first time, the EU is imposing a transaction ban on credit or financial institutions based outside Russia that use the Russian central bank's "System for the Transfer of Financial Messages" (SPFS). A further 74 ships in the so-called Russian shadow fleet are sanctioned. According to the Council, these ships are used to circumvent the Western price cap for Russian oil exports to third countries or to transport grain stolen from Ukraine.

Stricter export restrictions on dual-use goods and technologies apply to 53 new companies that directly support Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine. In addition, there are further restrictions on the import of primary aluminum, which provides Russia with significant revenues.

Hungary against new Kallas package with military aid
Hungary also threatened not to agree to the package of additional military aid for Ukraine proposed by Kallas. According to EU diplomats, the money is to flow into ammunition, air defense systems as well as equipment and training for Ukrainian brigades. The package is to be discussed on Monday, but it is not yet clear when it will be decided. Kallas also confirmed that the suspension of sanctions against Syria is to be formally decided on Monday. The target sectors are those that support the reconstruction of the country, such as the energy, transport and financial sectors.