The European Union announced a new phase of sanctions against Russia. According to Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, speaking at a press conference in Brussels, the price cap for Russian oil will be reduced from 60 dollars to 45 dollars. In addition, the import of Russian crude oil products will also be banned.
Within the new package, sanctions will be imposed against 77 vessels of Russia's "shadow fleet". Furthermore, an additional 22 Russian and foreign banks will be blacklisted with the aim of restricting transactions through the "SWIFT" system.
Von der Leyen emphasized that Russia's economy, tied to a military direction, poses a threat to global security. "Russia understands only the language of force. This war must end and Moscow must sit at the negotiating table with serious intent," she says.
The decision to lower oil prices will come into effect with the consensus of the G7 countries. When acting in cooperation with the USA, the impact of sanctions is expected to significantly increase.
The new measures are being considered as the next stage in the European Union's efforts to increase pressure on Russia and to economically halt military actions.
