Foreign Affairs Ministers on Monday greenlit the 15th package of sanctions against Russia since the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The new economic measures are designed to combat Russia’s efforts to bypass existing sanctions and to weaken its army and defense sector. Another 52 ships believed to be part of Putin’s so-called “shadow tanker fleet” were blacklisted. 32 companies were added to the list of export restrictions for contributing “to the technological enhancement of Russia’s defense and security sector”, the EU Council announced. Some of these entities are located in China, India, Iran, Serbia and the United Arab Emirates. 84 individuals and entities will be subject to fully-fledged sanctions (travel ban, asset freeze, prohibition to make economic resources available) “for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine”. At the same time, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, has denied information according to which the EU was planning to deploy a peace-keeping corps to Ukraine. Representing Romania at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting was Foreign Minister Luminița Odobescu.
