EU Should Close Loopholes In Sanctions On Russia Instead Of Preparing New Package- Tallinn

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd March, 2023) The European Union should now focus on closing the loopholes in anti-Russia sanctions instead of discussing a new sanction package against the country, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said on Thursday.

"We have to talk on criminalizing the circumvention of sanctions, we have to cooperate regarding this, and of course we can discuss the next sanction package, but I think it is more important to get loopholes closed," Kallas said ahead of the European Council meeting in Brussels.

The prime minister added that the EU should discuss the circumvention of sanctions because the bloc does not have trade with Russia in previous volumes, but trades with third countries.

On Wednesday, an official familiar with the EU negotiations on the matter told Sputnik that no concrete sanctions were being discussed. The Baltic and Finnish foreign ministers reportedly suggested on Monday that the EU could target Russian nuclear energy giant Rosatom as well as relatives of prominent Russians and third parties suspected of helping Russia dodge the sanctions.

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The West responded by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Moscow while also increasing military support for Kiev.