The European Union has begun discussions on a new 13th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, which it aims to approve by February 24, the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
What is known about the new sanction package against Russia
According to agency sources, the measures could include expanding lists of people under sanctions, tightening trade restrictions and reducing Moscow's ability to circumvent the bloc's sanctions through third countries and companies within the EU.
Possible sanctions were discussed on January 18 at a meeting of the bloc's ambassadors, where member states debated how best to support Kyiv in the long term.
But reaching an agreement on the 13th package of sanctions by next month will not be easy, as the last one required weeks of negotiations, Bloomberg notes.
There are also ongoing discussions about plans to create a new fund for military support for Ukraine, which some EU countries want to use as a way to modernize the current funding mechanism known as the European Peace Fund.
The EU's foreign policy service proposed giving the fund an annual budget of around 5 billion euros but failed to reach a consensus among member states.
According to the interlocutors, officials will soon present a new document with proposals to member states.
What preceded it
In December, the European Union introduced a new 12th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation. According to the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, in it the bloc proposed "a powerful set of new lists and economic measures that will further weaken the Russian military machine."
The sanctions package included restrictive measures on the import or transportation of Russian diamonds, import-export controls and restrictions, price restrictions on oil, iron and steel were introduced, and a significant number of additional individuals and legal entities were included in the list.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on Western countries to suppress Russia's ability to produce weapons while Moscow continues to receive foreign components for it.
