New EU sanctions on Russia to target Sberbank, Commission head tells paper
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The European Union’s forthcoming sanctions on Russia will goal banks, specifically Sberbank, in addition to oil, the pinnacle of the European Fee Ursula von der Leyen advised a German newspaper.
Bild am Sonntag, in an interview printed on Sunday, requested her to call the important thing factors of a deliberate sixth spherical of sanctions.
“We’re wanting additional on the banking sector, particularly Sberbank, which accounts for 37% of the Russian banking sector. And, in fact, there are vitality points,” she mentioned.
The EU has to this point spared Russia’s largest financial institution from earlier sanctions rounds as a result of it, together with Gazprombank, is likely one of the primary channels for funds for Russian oil and fuel, which EU nations have been shopping for regardless of the battle in Ukraine.
She additionally mentioned that the EU was engaged on “intelligent mechanisms” in order that oil is also included within the subsequent sanctions.
“What mustn’t occur is that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin collects even increased costs on different markets for provides that may in any other case go to the EU,” she was quoted as saying.
“The highest precedence is to shrink Putin’s revenues,” she mentioned.
(Reporting by Tom Sims; enhancing by David Evans)
