After being enthusiastically announced a few weeks ago, the new sanctions against Russia found predictable disagreement in the European Union.
In a constant cycle that’s been repeating for almost a year, the European Union could not agree on the tenth sanction package against Russia. New talks between the bloc’s diplomats will take place tomorrow, one day before the first anniversary of Ukraine’s invasion.
The tenth package is supposed to be the toughest yet, curbing the Russian economy even further. The new proposed sanctions include a ban of Russian rubber and diamonds, as well as excluding two more Russian banks from the SWIFT circuit.
Exports to Russia of small parts that could be used in armaments and some specialized tech equipment will also be banned.
According to EU officials, this package will amount for $10 billion in sanctions, aiming at cut revenues that finance the illegal invasion.
Crucially, this package also includes sanctions against Iran and its weapons manufacturers. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard was included in the EU’s list of terrorist organizations a few months back, so this is just a natural conclusion.
Iran has been providing hundreds of combat drones to Russia, which have been used to target civilian infrastructures in Ukraine. “For the first time we are also suggesting sanctions targeting Iranian economic operators including those linked to the Revolutionary Guards,” said the president of EU Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen.
Constant negotiation
Though the EU intentions are clear, it always takes a while for these packages to be approved. Yes, the European Union found renewed unity in the Ukrainian invasion, but this didn’t stop its sluggish bureaucratic machine.
There are some countries which do not wish to halt the diamond trade with Russia just yet. Bulgaria, France and Belgium all opposed the tenth sanction package in its current form, and negotiations will continue tomorrow.
It goes without saying that Hungary too rejected the package. That, however, might have nothing to do with rubber or diamonds.
Hungarian president Viktor Orban is renowned for his close ties with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The two are formally enemies, as Hungary is a full fledged member state of the EU, but this friendship is definitely beneficial for Putin.
Viktor Orban has always been the last to approve sanction packages against Russia, and whenever they were passed, he called for their removal.
Of course, Viktor Orban can do little to nothing to stop the EUs will. Yes, every European Union member has veto power, but Brussels has often threatened Hungary to withdraw precious EU funds if he didn’t comply with the rest of the bloc.
Viktor Orban might like Putin, but he likes European money more. However, his actions allow for slower implementation of sanctions, leaving more time to Russia to prepare.
In any case, if it’s true that history repeats itself, the EU will eventually pass this sanction package as well.
