European Union wants to impose secondary sanctions against Russia

The High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has called on EU member states to introduce secondary sanctions against Russian energy and oil exports, similar to the US tariffs imposed on Russian partners

,,We are already preparing sanctions against the energy sector, including secondary sanctions, like those introduced by the US”, she said.

According to her, the EU is working on a new package of sanctions, and a number of options are now ,,on the table”. Kallas also promised to propose new sanctions against Russia’s financial sector. It is noted that this is the first time that an EU official has openly called for the introduction of secondary sanctions, despite the fact that the Union has always formally opposed this measure.

Kallas called Russia’s airstrikes on Ukrainian cities on the night of August 27-28 this year, targeting areas far from the front line, a mockery.

,,While the whole world is looking for solutions for peace, Moscow instead decides to attack with missiles. The night attack demonstrates that Russia is in favor of escalating the conflict and disregards our efforts to end this war’’, the EU High Representative added.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Hungary and China should take a stand and condemn the attacks by Russian troops on Ukrainian territory.

On August 14 and 22, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the Druzhba oil pipeline, through which Russia supplies oil to Slovakia and Hungary, provoking negative reactions from both states. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán noted that Zelensky admitted that he hit the pipeline because Hungary refuses to support Ukraine’s accession to the EU.