EU High Representative Josep Borrell hopes to do so this week.

The heads of the foreign policy departments of the European Union member states did not finally approve the ninth package of sanctions against the Russian Federation.

As correspondent reports, this was said by the Vice President of the European Commission, EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Josep Borrell at a briefing after the meeting of the Council of the EU at the level of foreign ministers of EU member states.

“We discussed the ninth package of sanctions against Russia, against the Kremlin due to the escalation of its aggression against Ukraine. But we will provide more details on this later. We must continue to work,” Borrell said.

As Borrell clarified, today the heads of foreign affairs of the EU member states could not reach an agreement on the ninth package of sanctions.

“But I hope that this will be achieved this week. And we will be able to approve this new tough package in the coming days or, at the latest, during this week,” Borrell stressed.

At the same time, according to him, individual sanctions have already been approved, and in particular, we are talking about a total of 200 individuals and legal entities.

“This should hit the Russian defense sector and the Russian military hard. It should also hit the leaders in the Russian government, in the State Duma, in the Federation Council and in the judicial system,” Borrell said.

He added that sanctions will be introduced against those involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain and the deportation of Ukrainian citizens, especially children.

Borrell clarified that there is still not 100% agreement among all member states regarding the ninth package.

“Therefore, this means that some member states do not agree. But I cannot go into details and note with words that this or that (country does not agree – ). The work is ongoing,” said the high representative of the EU.

At the same time, he said that he is fully confident that an agreement will be reached.

“The problem is not one particular member state… It’s a question of what exceptions we can implement to ensure that our sanctions do not have side effects, and that at the same time we do not exhaust the effectiveness of the sanctions,” he said. Borrell

The European Union is preparing the ninth package of sanctions against Russia

On December 7, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced the measures that can be applied in case of acceptance by the member countries within the framework of the ninth package of sanctions against Russia.

The new package proposes to add almost 200 more individuals and legal entities to the list of sanctions, which are related to missile attacks on the civilian population of Ukraine, the abduction of Ukrainian children and their export to Russia, and the theft of Ukrainian agricultural products. The list includes military personnel, politicians, and representatives of the Russian defense industry.

Also, the ninth package provides for the introduction of sanctions against three more Russian banks; application of new export controls; additional economic measures to the Russian energy and mining sectors.

In addition, it is proposed to ban the broadcasting of 4 more Russian TV channels in the EU.

As the head of the EC noted, this package also complements the EU’s complete ban on the import of oil from Russia by sea, as well as the limitation of world oil prices agreed by the G7 countries.