US and EU prepare ‘more effective’ measures to prevent Russia from finding funds to finance the invasion of Ukraine

The officials of UNITED STATES and the European Union They met on Monday to discuss the “most powerful” tools to “prevent” Russia from getting rich through the diamond trade.

During the meeting, the Director of the Sanctions Coordination Office, James O’Briendthe United States Trade Compliance Officer and the European Commission, Denis Redonetdiscussed with dealers and diamond industry associations, as reported in a statement from the state department.

The officials spoke with representatives of the private sector about “future measures aimed at the importation” of Russian diamonds, the statement said.

“The discussion has focused on the most effective and impactful ways to interrupt this flow of revenue,” the State Department detailed.

In April last year, the United States sanctioned the Russian state company Alrosathe largest diamond miner in the world.

Alrosa represents an important source of income for Russia, since the diamond trade is one of the country’s most important exports, apart from energy, and the company has already been subject to sanctions by Canada , the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the Bahamas.

Ukraine has asked the European Union to impose sanctions against the export of Russian diamonds.

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky has accused Belgium of placing more importance on continuing trade relations with Russia, and in particular the trade in diamonds via the city of Antwerp, than on vigorous action to support the fight Ukrainian.

There European Union adopted in February tenth round of sanctions against Russia, including, among others, a ban on the export of technologies for military use and measures against Iranian companies who supply drones to Moscow.

The 27 have reached an agreement at the level of ambassadors”on the edgecoinciding with the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine.

“We now have the heaviest penalties ever imposed, depleting Russia’s arsenal of war and biting deep into its economy. We are also increasing the pressure on those trying to circumvent our sanctions,” the European Commission President said on Twitter. Ursula von der Leyen.

“The tenth set of sanctions is adopted», celebrated on the same social network the High Representative of Foreign Affairs of the EU, Joseph Borrellwho added that the block “remains committed to its determination to make a dent in the Russian war machine”.

The agreed package includes, for example, stricter restrictions on the export of dual-use technology and goodsselective restricted measures against people and entities support the war spread propaganda oh deliver drones Used by Russia during the war.

It also includes 47 electronic components that Russia can use in its weapon systems, such as drones, missiles and helicopters, so that given the previous nine packages all technological products will have been banned found on the battlefield.

The tenth package of reprisals against the Kremlin also sanctions seven Iranian companies linked to the Revolutionary Guards which manufacture the drones that Tehran gives to Moscow to bomb Ukraine and begins the procedure of suspending the broadcasting licenses of RT Arabic and Sputnik Arabic.

(With information from EFE)

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