EU-Member State Ministers Adopt 18th Sanctions Package against Russia

Brussels, 18 July (TASR) - The Council of the European Union officially adopted the 18th package of sanctions against Russia on Friday, previously approved by the ambassadors of the EU-member states in Brussels, with Slovakia being represented by Foreign Affairs Ministry State Secretary Marek Estok, TASR reports. "Each sanction weakens Russia's ability to wage war. The message is clear: Europe will not back down in its support for Ukraine. The EU will keep raising the pressure until Russia ends its war," said EU diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas, describing the latest package as one of the toughest so far. The approved 18th package is set to hit Moscow's revenues from the energy and military sectors, with the adopted measures including a lowered price cap on Russian oil and a ban on trade with companies operating the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. For the first time, the EU has sanctioned the largest refinery of Russian oil company Rosneft in India. Another 105 ships, which Brussels considers part of the so-called Russian shadow fleet, will also be affected. In the military sector, the EU is targeting suppliers to Russia's militarisation, including three China-based entities that sell goods used on the battlefield. In addition, the sanctions introduce a ban on imports of refined oil products manufactured from Russian crude and produced in any third country. The new sanction list will also include another 14 individuals and 41 entities responsible for actions which, according to Brussels, undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Furthermore, the sanctions will target an individual actively involved in Russia's "military education" programmes for Ukrainian children. As a result of the EU sanctions, another 22 Russian banks will have their access to foreign funding restricted. The Union is also imposing a ban on all transactions with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), its companies and any companies that it has invested in or that have provided it with services. lin/df