More European sanctions on Russia? No, we thank you already!
There is a growing number of countries in Europe that are increasingly reluctant to face further sanctions against Russia. What happened suddenly? They began to threaten several economies.
Until recently, Europe agreed that only by consistently tightening the screws and increasing economic pressure could Vladimir Putin be forced to negotiate peace with Ukraine. But negotiations on the 21st sanctions package to be imposed on Russia are extremely arduous. There is a reason why member states still cannot agree on them.
Several European countries have their own demands regarding the core of the sanctions, the so-called oil price ceiling.
Fuel crisis in Russia. The country is sliding into the abyss as planned
EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas continues to emphasize the importance of further tightening sanctions against Russia for the attack on Ukraine. Especially since their effects are becoming more and more felt in Russia. Due to being cut off from Western markets, technology and financing, the country is struggling with the depletion of foreign exchange reserves and reduced GDP growth, which oscillates around just 0.2 percent. In addition, there is the fuel crisis and chaos at Russian gas stations, which Moscow has failed to hide.
The panic and fuel shortages resulted in precise attacks by Ukrainian drones on strategic refineries and warehouses. Due to the lack of gasoline and diesel oil in Russia, among others, diesel export ban. Public transport ticket prices and logistics costs are rising. Many gas stations have refueling limits – usually 20 to 30 liters per person, and sometimes only 10 liters or nothing at all. Price boards in some cities show only zeros instead of prices.
The situation forces many Russians to give up their private cars, and at open stations, long queues regularly form and brawls break out. Russia is trying to save the situation by looking for external supplies, but Indian refineries have refused to increase fuel exports to this country. Exports from Belarus are just a drop in the ocean of Russian needs – and that’s what it was all about, so what’s stopping Europe?
National interests suffer from sanctions. Russia is starting to divide the EU
The latest package of proposed sanctions against Russia includes restrictions on Russian exports and the financial system, as well as a price freeze on Russian oil. But as the British daily Financial Times reports, some member states see these sanctions as a threat to the interests of their largest companies.
These are Greece, France, Italy, Germany, Austria and Portugal.
Greece refused to agree to the entire package unless it was allowed to transport Russian liquefied natural gas to third countries, arguing that otherwise it would be a blow to a well-known Greek billionaire in the shipping industry. Portugal and Germany demand the lifting of the ban on buying Russian fish.
France and Italy want to ease the ban on issuing EU visas to Russian soldiers who served during the war. Austria needs to compensate Raiffeisen Bank for the fine imposed by Moscow, which is why it demands the unfreezing of Russian assets worth EUR 2 billion.
Unfortunately, sanctions cannot be imposed without unanimous support, and as EU diplomats unofficially report, the moral imperative is becoming weaker and weaker.
