New sanctions against Russia have the ability to bypass/Channel 24
The civilized world continues to support Ukraine in the fight against the invaders. In particular, the European Commission imposed new sanctions against Russia. However, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure, they contain a number of exceptions that create opportunities for circumvention.
The ministry stressed that Europe should abandon all Russian and Belarusian goods. This way it will stop financing the war against Ukraine.
New sanctions have room for circumvention
According to the new sanctions, all freight transport registered in Russia and Belarus must leave the territory of the European Union by April 16.
These decisions will hit the occupier's economy. However, a number of exceptions remain that create opportunities to circumvent the sanction. The Ministry of Infrastructure notes that, despite the full right of EU member states to make exceptions, Ukraine expects to understand the consequences of the inconsistency of sanctions, the Ministry of Infrastructure noted.
The decision of the European Commission says that the EU member states can allow the enterprises of Russia and Belarus to transport certain categories of goods at their own discretion. Exceptions include:
- natural gas and oil, including refined petroleum products, titanium, aluminium, copper, nickel, palladium and iron ore;
- pharmaceutical, medical, agricultural and food products, in particular wheat and fertilizers;
- humanitarian supplies;
- separately, it is possible to make exceptions for companies of the aggressor country in the export and transfer of cultural property provided for temporary use.
An exception in sanctions is the ability to maintain economic ties with Russia
The ministry added that the economic consequences of the sanctions against Russia should be commensurate with the losses it inflicted on Ukrainian and European consumers. In particular, the invaders destroyed thousands of kilometers of roads, railway stations, airports and blocked seaports. For now, those goods that cannot be taken out of Ukrainian ports will be delivered to the EU by cars or by rail.
“The cost of building new logistics routes will amount to billions. We are talking not only about the losses of Ukraine, but also of European countries After all, in order to receive these goods, the EU member states must prepare their infrastructure for warehouses, customs points, and the work of sanitary services,” the Ministry of Infrastructure noted.
Currently, a number of EU countries take a neutral position and do not blame Russia for the war against Ukraine. Therefore, they are likely to use the exception of sanctions to allow the terrorist country to earn money in European markets and continue to commit their crimes.
“Even if the possibility of forgery of goods and transport and customs invoices, the aforementioned list of exempt goods still leaves Russia and Belarusians with huge opportunities to earn money,” the ministry said.
These exceptions also allow large European businesses to return to their usual economic ties with Russia. The reason for the introduction of the 5th package of sanctions was the condemnation of the war crimes of the terrorist country, including mass murders of Ukrainians in Bucha and other settlements. Therefore, the Ministry of Infrastructure believes that such half-measures, leaving a huge space for circumventing sanctions, are incomprehensible. This position of Western partners does not look consistent and logical.
