This week, EU member states will consider all proposals for anti-Russian sanctions, which may change before they are approved.
Diamonds, machines and more
The European Union plans to ban the export of machine tools and parts that the Russian Federation can use to produce weapons. In particular, diamonds and other things may be subject to restrictions.
According to the documents obtained by Bloomberg, the 12th package of EU sanctions against Russia may also include a ban on the export of diamonds and measures to strengthen control over compliance with the upper price limit for Russian oil.
It is noted that this week, EU member states will consider all proposals for restrictions, which they may change before they are approved.
The Russian Federation imports some of the equipment, including welding machines and CNC systems, from Europe and uses them for the production of ammunition, the publication writes.
The competition for ammunition sources has become crucial as Ukraine prepares for a protracted war. Russia has been able to shore up its ammunition production, while Kyiv's allies are at risk of defaulting on their commitments to supply artillery shells to Ukraine.
The 12th package of sanctions will target Russia's ability to circumvent sanctions and feed its military machine. In particular, it is about reducing the sources of income of the terrorist country, Bloomberg reports.
Other goods used by Russia in the war against Ukraine that contributed to the production of military systems include chemicals, lithium batteries, thermostats, and engines and servo motors for unmanned aerial vehicles.
The package of restrictions will include a ban on diamonds from January 1, as well as a phased introduction of an indirect ban on the import of Russian diamonds processed in third countries.
Ban on Russian oil: what is known
As part of measures to ensure compliance with the upper limit of the price of Russian oil, which is 60 dollars per barrel, the European Union proposes the following sIntroduceroduce a requirement to include expenditure details in certificates. It's about insurance and freight. This will help to avoid attempts to falsify certificates or masactuale real value of Russian oil;
strengthen the exchange of information to identify vessels that resort to concealing the origin or destination of a product;
introduce a notification system requiring permission to sell, or export used tankers and vessels to limit Russia's ability to develop a so-called shadow fleet of vessels.
Russian oil is now trading well above the upper limit of $60 a barrel set by the EU and other G7 countries last December. This threshold is largely covered by the use of the huge shadow fleet of tankers that Moscow has amassed, which means that it does not need to use Western ships, insurance or other services, which are prohibited for cargoes worth more than $60, the publication explains.
What other restrictions await Russian imports
In particular, the proposals of the 12th package of anti-Russian sanctions include restrictions on imports:
liquefied propane;
cast iron and twine;
copper wires;
aluminum wires;
foil;
pipes and tubes.
If the proposals are approved, more than 30 companies will be added to the list of entities with which trade is restricted.
The EU also offers:
ban Russians from holding positions in European companies that provide services of wallets, accounts and storage of crypto-assets;
prohibit the granting of licenses for enterprise management software and software for industrial design and production;
require firms in Europe that are owned or controlled by Russians or Russian legal entities to obtain permission to transfer funds outside the Union;
introduce a requirement that will force exporters to include clauses prohibiting the re-export of certain goods to Russia in their contracts.
