Transcript of remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell:

“The European Union’s position has been very clear: we will continue to advance the sanctions as long as the Russian aggression continues.

We are today submitting proposals for the Council approval for more sanctions to further cripple Putin’s war machinery, following the atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces in Bucha and other places under Russian occupation in Ukraine.

We continue to follow with horror the brutal siege of Mariupol and the haunting images of large number of civilian deaths and casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructures.

This adds to reports of inhuman and degrading treatment by the Russian occupation forces on the civilian population in Ukraine.

They show the true face of this war, the true face of the Kremlin and its war against Ukraine and its people.

We are now proposing for the Council approval to scale up bans on certain exports, including technologies and jet fuel. The proposals include: banning import of goods which provide significant revenue to the state budget, prohibiting import of some fuels, particularly coal.

We are also proposing further financial measures and prohibiting Russian vessels from entering EU ports.

The President of the Commission has elaborated in detail on these sectoral sanctions. 

We are also extending the sanctions lists - adding dozens of people from politics, the business sector and engaged in propaganda activities, and also more entities from financial, military industrial and transport sectors, among them 4 important Russian banks that will not only be taken out from the Swift system, but will also be forbidden from participating in any kind of financial transactions in the EU.

Again, we are not targeting Russian people. We are targeting the Kremlin, the political and economic elites supporting Putin’s war in Ukraine.

The aim of our sanctions is to stop the reckless, inhuman and aggressive behaviour of the Russian troops and make clear to the decision makers in the Kremlin that their illegal aggression comes at a heavy cost.

We are also taking other steps in reaction to the murderous behaviour by the Kremlin and its troops.

Russia’s illegal and disruptive actions against the interests and security of the EU and our Members States, including breaching the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic relations, are not staying without a response.

That is why today, I decided to designate persona non grata a number of officials of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the EU for engaging in activities contrary to their diplomatic status.

The EEAS Secretary General is summoning the Russian Ambassador to the EU today to communicate this decision.”

Watch the video here:  https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-223528