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Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Photo: IMAGO/Sipa USA / IMAGO/UPI Photo
After the latest EU sanctions against Russia were passed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for even more far-reaching measures.
"The pressure on the Russian aggressor must increase," Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
Specifically, Ukraine is expecting "determined steps" against the Russian state-owned company Rosatom and the Russian nuclear industry in general, Zelenskyy said.
Punitive measures against Russia's military and banking system would also have to be expanded.
The tenth package of EU sanctions against Russia since the beginning of last year had been formally approved.
The permanent representatives of the individual states had already agreed on this on Friday - the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Weeks of negotiations had preceded it.
As the EU announced on Saturday, the punitive measures are aimed at 121 other individuals and institutions, including for the first time Iranian drone manufacturers.
There are 96 additional companies and authorities on the sanctions list, including three other Russian banks.
Also affected for the first time are seven Iranian companies that supply Russia with combat drones for the war in Ukraine.
Against forced adoption of at least 6000 Ukrainian children
The export restrictions and the list of people who are no longer allowed to enter the EU and whose assets are frozen are also being added.
As the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced, individuals are now also affected who are responsible for the "deportation and forced adoption of at least 6,000 Ukrainian children" in violation of international law.
Shortly after the EU countries unified, Russia stopped oil supplies via the northern branch of the Druzhba pipeline, which leads to Poland and a refinery in Schwedt, Brandenburg.
The Polish company PKN Orlen announced that the delivery had been stopped by the Russian side.
EU sanctions that have been in force for some time now ban Russian oil imports by sea.
But there is an exception for pipeline oil.
Nevertheless, Germany and Poland had announced that they would no longer purchase oil from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline from January.
While Germany implemented this, some deliveries to Poland initially continued.
Before the EU countries unified, the United States and Great Britain announced new sanctions against Moscow on the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The G7 countries also discussed the punitive measures at a video summit.
The heads of state and government "assured the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that we will support Ukraine as long as it is necessary," said Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD).
The finance ministers of the G20 countries, which also include Russia and China, were unable to agree on a joint final declaration after consultations in Bengaluru, India.
Instead, India, as G20 chair, issued a "summary" of the meeting.
Accordingly, "most members have strongly condemned the war in Ukraine", but there are "different assessments of the situation and the sanctions".
Lukashenko and Macron travel to China
In addition to sanctions against Moscow, the West is also supporting Ukraine massively with weapons and humanitarian aid.
Canada announced on Friday that it would deliver four additional Leopard 2 tanks to Kiev.
The number of German-made main battle tanks made available by Canada has thus increased to a total of eight.
Germany had previously promised to deliver four more Leopard 2 main battle tanks, and Poland was already delivering the first Leopard to Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Demonstrations in support of the country took place across the world on Friday to mark the first anniversary of the attack.
According to Chinese sources, Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko, a close Moscow ally, will be on a state visit to China on Tuesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would also travel to Beijing in early April.
"The fact that China is committed to peace is extremely good," Macron said on Saturday.
However, peace is only possible if Russia ends the aggression, withdraws its troops and shows respect for Ukraine's territorial sovereignty.
mamk/dpa/AFP
