Prevent Moscow from circumventing the sanctions imposed on it by the West since the invasion of Ukraine.
This is the objective pursued by the European Union.
It is with this aim that the Commission has just proposed to the twenty-seven Member States to add new companies targeted by trade restrictions, including three based in mainland China.
If the States validate the list established by the Commission, it will be the first time that Chinese companies will be targeted for their role as intermediaries with Russia.
Companies from India, Serbia, Turkey, Thailand and Sri Lanka have also been identified, according to AFP.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately reacted to condemn these “
illegal sanctions
” which attack “
cooperation between China and Russia
”.
If these new sanctions are validated, European companies will not have the right to trade with these Chinese companies - and other countries - identified.
A high-ranking official from the Biden Administration recently indicated to Le
Figaro
that “
Putin has instructed the FSB and the GRU
”, the Russian intelligence services, “
to circumvent the sanctions
”.
The United States has notably identified intermediaries in Turkey or Kazakhstan who deliver equipment to Moscow that could be used for the Russian war effort in Ukraine.
Washington is pushing for European customs services to exercise tighter controls on shipments to companies or countries suspected of acting as intermediaries.
Last June, the Twenty-Seven did not agree to sanction Chinese companies, already targeted.