EU country calls for ‘pause’ in anti-Russia sanctions
EU country calls for ‘pause’ in anti-Russia sanctions (How do that not understand these sanctions are only hurting the EU? Are they stupid or something?) Belgium’s PM has urged the bloc to assess the impact of existing measures before engaging in further discussions Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has welcomed the EU agreement on a sixth package of sanctions against Moscow but called for a “pause” until the impact of the measures is known. Earlier on Tuesday, EU Council President Charles Michel confirmed that the bloc’s member states had agreed in principle a sixth round of anti-Russia sanctions, which include a partial embargo on Russian oil. The sanctions are being imposed in response to Moscow’s military offensive in Ukraine. Speaking to journalists ahead of day two of the EU summit in Brussels, De Croo said the impact of oil sanctions would be “enormous” and thus “a pause” is needed. “For Belgium, this package is a big step forward, let’s stop there for now and see its impact,” the prime minister said. He added that themain priority now is to find the best way “to keep energy prices under control.” Kek, good luck with that! Meanwhile, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on Tuesday called on the EU to discuss a gas embargo as part of the next package of sanctions. However, she made clear that she did not anticipate that the bloc would go for such measures any time soon. European Commission data shows the European Union receives 40% of its gas from Russia. “I think that gas has to be in the seventh package but I am realistic as well. I don’t think it will be there,” she told journalists. Accordingly, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that gas would “not be discussed in the next sanctions package.” The sixth package of measures, which is expected to be approved on Wednesday, excludes Sber, Russia’s largest bank, from the SWIFT financial messaging system. It also bans three more Russian broadcasters from the EU, and imposes further individual sanctions on Russian citizens, according to media reports. EU leaders have indicated that Russian pipeline oil will have to be banned at some point in the future. President Vladimir Putin has accused European leaders of committing economic “suicide” by attempting to give up Russian energy. Moscow considers the sanctions “unlawful” and “unjustified,” and has been retaliating with its own countermeasures. It has insisted that payments for natural gas supplies must be made in rubles. SOURCE
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