EU Unveils Sixth Package of Sanctions against Russia

Chairman of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has presented the sixth package of sanctions against Russia. It includes a phased embargo on Russian oil, cutting off Sberbank from SWIFT and sanctions for the siege of Mariupol. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, presented the sixth package of sanctions against Russia. She did that on Wednesday, May 4, in Strasbourg, during a debate in the European Parliament on the social and economic ramifications for the EU of Russia's war against Ukraine, a DW correspondent reports. Now these proposals are to be examined by representatives of the EU governments who make the final decision to impose sanctions. According to von der Leyen, the first element of the package will be personal sanctions against Russian officers and others "who committed war crimes in Bucha and are responsible for the inhuman siege of Mariupol." "This will give another important message to all Kremlin perpetrators: we know who you are, we will bring you to justice, you cannot avoid it," the head of the European Commission added. The EU will cut off Sberbank from SWIFT Secondly, the EU will disconnect Russia's largest bank Sberbank and two other credit institutions from the financial messaging system SWIFT. Von der Leyen has not yet named them. "This is how we will hit banks that are systemically important to the Russian financial system and Putin's ability to cause destruction," she added. Third, three more Russian state TV channels will be banned from broadcasting in the EU. This applies to all forms of media outlets: cable or satellite TV, the Internet, or via smart-phone apps. The head of the European Commission did not specify them, noting that they are "aggressively spreading Putin's lies and propaganda". Earlier, the EU had banned the streaming of RT and Sputnik. The fourth element of the package is a ban on providing consulting or accounting services to Russian companies in the EU. EU introduces phased embargo on Russian oil The fifth component of the sixth package is an embargo on oil from Russia. "It will be a complete ban on all imports of Russian oil, tanker and pipeline, crude and refined," von der Leyen said. According to her, because some EU states are too dependent on oil from Russia and to reduce the impact on world markets, this embargo will be introduced gradually. On crude oil - over six months, and on petroleum products - until the end of this year, von der Leyen specified. "Putin wanted to wipe Ukraine off the map. He certainly won't succeed. On the contrary: Ukraine has risen in courage and unity. And Putin is drowning his own country, Russia," the head of the European Commission noted. DW