The EU finalizes more sanctions against Russia after agreeing to expand its 'blacklist' to 144 individuals and 48 entities

BRUSELAS, 12 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Member States of the European Union are finalizing on Monday the approval of the ninth round of sanctions against Russia after reaching an agreement to include 144 people and 48 entities involved in the escalation of the war in Ukraine on their 'blacklist', according to has announced the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell.

In a press conference from Brussels after the meeting of European foreign ministers, the head of European diplomacy has indicated that the list of individual sanctions has been agreed at the level of the Twenty-seven, for which reason he expects the final agreement "this week" and that the EU approves in "a matter of hours" the "tough package" in response to the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.

The ninth round of sanctions, which has been discussed by EU countries for weeks, will include measures against the export of drones and restrictions on the financial sector. All the European sources consulted suggest that they can be approved before the European Council this Thursday.

"There is not 100 percent agreement. Some Member States do not agree. I am sure that we will reach an agreement, the problem is not a Member State, but rather what kind of exceptions we implement to ensure that there is no collateral damage and At the same time, let's not empty the impact of the sanctions", stated the High Representative.

The figure was later confirmed by the Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, when he specified at a press conference after the meeting with his European counterparts that there are 144 people and 48 entities involved in the aggression against Ukraine.

The meeting came in full tension due to Hungary's threat to obstruct sanctions against Russia, an obstructionist attitude that extends to other initiatives such as macro-financial aid of 18,000 million euros for 2023.

In this regard, Albares has been critical of the fact that aid to kyiv has not already been approved, given that the country "desperately" needs it. "We do not agree with the position of those who are preventing it from being adopted," he said, insisting that support for this macro-financial aid package is "overwhelming."