As a part of the sanction aggression unleashed against Russia, the EU Council adopted another "package" of illegitimate unilateral restrictive measures against our country.
The EU leaders are not able to get out of the vicious circle of restrictions and recognise the futility of all anti-Russian sanctions and the policy of pressure on Russia. The current "package" will have the same effect as all the previous ones - exacerbation of socio-economic problems in the European Union itself. Due to the ill-conceived steps of Brussels, EU citizens have already faced energy shortages and unprecedented “sanctions inflation”, and a real threat of de-industrialisation looms over the EU economy.
Recurring disinformation about Western sanctions on Russia, framing them as illegal.
This narrative fits well into the Kremlin's claims that the West is collapsing. The Kremlin seeks to pressure and blackmail the European governments and create public panic over energy insecurity / energy costs.
The EU adopted so far nine sanction packages against Russia due to its illegal aggression and occupation of Ukrainian territories. More about the last ninth package read here.
The EU has imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia in response to the unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and the illegal annexation of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Furthermore, in December 2022, EU countries agreed to set a price cap on Russian oil at $60 per barrel. The price cap applies to oils which originate in or are exported from Russia. The cap comes on top of the EU import ban on Russian seaborne crude oil and petroleum products, and the corresponding bans of other G7 partners.
Sanctions are a key tool of EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy.
The EU sanctions are legitimate restrictions imposed in accordance with international and European law as a response to violations of international legalities, such as Russia’s actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. The EU established the sanctions regime under its laws, specifically Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014, "concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine."
The EU has the right to impose economic sanctions within the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. Crucially, any such measures must strictly conform to European and international law. Other international actors have the right to impose them under international law as well under certain conditions.
Through restrictive measures, the EU intervenes where appropriate to respond to emerging or current crises. EU sanctions are carefully targeted and designed to be proportionate to the objectives they seek to achieve. Moscow has falsely claimed that the EU sanctions are illegal ever since their imposition in 2014, following Russia's invasion, annexation, and ongoing occupation of Crimea.
The Autumn 2022 Eurobarometer survey shows that three quarters of EU citizens approve the EU’s overall support to Ukraine as well as the specific measures including sanctions against Russia. Democracy, human rights and free speech are paramount to EU citizens as they call on the European Parliament to defend these values on which the EU is founded. The publication of the full results of this survey is foreseen for January 2023.