Two EU countries resist entry ban for Russians who fought against Ukraine – Bloomberg

Italy and France are hesitant about a European Union proposal to introduce a ban on entry to the EU for former Russian military personnel.

Source: Bloomberg, citing sources, as reported by European Pravda

Details: These restrictions are part of the proposed 21st package of sanctions against Russia in connection with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which member states plan to discuss on 26 June, the sources said.

The sources say Rome and Paris are not opposed to barring former Russian soldiers but fear that the current proposal could pave the way to a full entry ban for all Russians.

Both countries also believe a targeted entry ban would be better regulated through visa policy rather than sanctions.

Italy and France noted that the EU's proposal to ban entry for former Russian combatants would leave it up to member states to determine who had taken part in hostilities and who had not, which some sources say is not straightforward.

This is not the only obstacle the proposed sanctions package has come up against.

Another contentious point, Bloomberg says, is the question of how to manage the oil price cap given current high prices.

The agency previously reported that officials are currently considering either freezing the price cap at its current level or returning it to a previous level of US$60. Some sources say maritime countries are expressing reservations about these proposals.

Another contentious proposal in the package involves extending the sanctions regime applied to vessels illegally transporting Russian oil to those transporting Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), which the EU is gradually moving away from.

The idea is to pre-emptively stop Moscow from creating another shadow fleet to transport LNG, as happened with oil. However, some EU countries are insisting on a longer transition period, sources say.

A number of capitals are also expressing concerns about plans to restrict imports of certain types of Russian fish, the sources added.

Other parts of the package include trade restrictions on certain key minerals, metals and ores, as well as export controls targeting around two dozen companies – including in China, India, Türkiye and Central Asia – which are said to be supplying Russia with restricted goods that are used in weapons or needed to manufacture them.

Background:

• At the beginning of June, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the EU's 21st Russia sanctions package.
• The package proposes, among other things, including a ban on EU entry for former Russian combatants who fought against Ukraine.
• Bulgaria did not support the package due to the proposed inclusion of Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, on the sanctions list.

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