by Jan Strupczewski
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union is close to finalizing a tenth round of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, diplomats said on Tuesday, adding that governments in the bloc hoped to reach an agreement on Wednesday by overcoming differences relating in particular to Russian rubber.
Brussels intends in particular to impose sanctions on the Russians whom it deems involved in the illegal deportation of some 6,000 Ukrainian children.
For the first time, the EU should ban exports to seven Iranian entities considered to be producers of equipment used by Russia for what Moscow presents as a “special military operation” in Ukraine.
“Today we discussed a tenth set of sanctions against Russia. We will resume discussions tomorrow afternoon in the hope of finding a common denominator,” Poland’s ambassador to the EU said. , Andrzej Sados, following talks with his bloc counterparts in Brussels.
The EU’s goal is to impose the new set of sanctions by the first anniversary of the conflict on Friday.
While progress has been reported on a possible embargo on Russian diamond imports, with Belgium softening its opposition to it, sanctions are unlikely to feature in this tenth train, diplomats said.
There are no plans to include measures against the Russian nuclear energy sector in these sanctions, diplomats have said, because several EU countries, including France, obtain uranium from Russia. for their reactors.
On the other hand, a compromise was close to being found on the banning of Russian rubber, even if Germany and Italy are against a complete embargo on its import. Discussions focus on a possible quota, diplomats said.
Brussels will also ban the sale to Moscow of all electronic components for civilian and military use that operate Russian armed systems – drones, missiles and helicopters, among others.
(Report Jan Strupczewski; French version Jean Terzian)
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