The second measures approved Thursday evening and which was to be officially endorsed on Friday, February 25, aims at fundamental technologies, access to capital markets, energy and aviation.
by, and
While two hundred protesters viliphered outside the building where the twenty-seven heads of state and government of the European Union (EU), Thursday, February 24, in Brussels, the Russian President Vladimir Putin conversed with Emmanuel Macron. His French counterpart had called him at the request of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop the war. “It was frank, direct, fast,” Macron said. And without effect. According to the Elysée, the tenant of the Kremlin would also have understood that his country was exposed “massive sanctions”.
Massive? The whole adopted by Europeans wanting to offer a united front will generate the debate. As the package that had been adopted Monday and, for the most part, targeted MPs, banks, and the ability of Russia to access European capital markets and financial services.
The second measurement train, approved Thursday evening, and which was to be officially endorsed on Friday, is supposed to make the abuser of Ukraine, short and medium term. “We will make sure that the Russian industry can no longer get the electronic components and software it needs. She has stocks but, in the long run, it will be massive,” commented a diplomat. Exports of dual-use property (civil and military) and fundamental technologies (computer, telecommunications, electronics, lasers, sensors …) will be severely controlled.
The plan also aims to restrict access to the capital market to prevent refinancing from Russian debt. Measures also cover the energy and refining, aviation and banking sectors (70% of the sector would now be concerned). On the menu, also, a gel of the assets, the blocking of visas and travel bans in Europe for a series of personalities.
The “gradual” approach has imposed
The prognosis – or the hope – Europeans is that these new sanctions “will climb inflation, will accelerate the flight of capital and will gradually undermine the country’s industrial base,” summarizes the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Nice words, naivety? This is what Mopeusz Morawiecki has launched; Polish Prime Minister led the small group of countries favorable to more vigorous measures.
Other member countries – Germany, Italy, Hungary, Cyprus – were in favor of a “gradual” approach and imposed their point of view. “It is very important (…) that we keep everything else for a situation where it would be necessary to do other things,” said the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, even a certain incomprehension.
You have 61.07% of this article to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.