Kiev complains about ‘weak’ EU sanctions against Russia

Brussels has admitted that the scope for further restrictions is narrowing

The sanctions imposed by the EU on Russia are “weak,” Agiya Zagrebelskaya, the head of the sanctions department at Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NCPA), has told the media outlet EUObserver, adding that she does not believe the bloc is capable of tightening restrictions in the future.

“Is this [13th] package weak? Let’s not look at it separately. Rather, we can say all the previous measures were weak,” Zagrebelskaya told the EUObserver, adding that if Brussels had done enough, the conflict wouldn’t be about to enter its third year. 

Responding to a question about the prospects of a harder crackdown by the EU on Moscow in the future, Zagrebelskaya said that she doesn’t “believe in magic.”

“I don’t believe in it because some of the [Russians] who should’ve been sanctioned in 2014 are still not under sanctions,” she specified.

The NCPA has been known for its particularly aggressive stance on seeking to punish Russia. It has attempted to shame international companies that have not left Russia by adding them to its notorious “sponsors of war” list. Nearly 50 international brands, including PepsiCo, Nestle, Mars, Unilever, Xiaomi, Bacardi, Leroy Merlin, Procter & Gamble, Yves Rocher, and Alibaba (owner of AliExpress), Subway, and Viciunai Group, have been branded with the designation. 

READ MORE: EU scouring for new Russia-sanctions targets – media

The 13th package of EU sanctions on Russia is currently being prepared to coincide with the second anniversary of the beginning of Moscow’s military operation. The new set of restrictions will reportedly target around 200 entities and individuals but not include any import bans.

Reuters previously reported that the European Commission was hoping to “cause minimal debate” among member states so that the package could be passed as quickly as possible.

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