BRUSSELS (AP) 鈥 The European Union on Monday slapped new sanctions on Russia over its war on Ukraine, targeting Moscow鈥檚 shadow fleet of tankers moving liquefied natural gas through Europe as well as several companies.
At a meeting in Luxembourg, where the sanctions were endorsed, EU foreign ministers also agreed on new financial support to help Ukraine defend itself. Some expressed concern about a rise in hybrid attacks by Russia 鈥 including allegations of election interference, cyber-attacks and sabotage.
In an effort to push Russia into using more costly routes for energy purposes, the ministers said in a statement, the EU will 鈥渇orbid reloading services of Russian LNG in EU territory for the purpose of transshipment operations to third countries.鈥
The EU estimates that about 4-to-6 billion cubic meters (141 billion-212 billion cubic feet) of Russian LNG was shipped to third countries via EU ports last year. Russia is suspected of running a 鈥済host fleet鈥 of up to 400 ships to evade sanctions and keep up the flow of energy earnings so that it can finance the war.
The measures will target ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore transfers as well as reloading operations. It also involves a crackdown on the re-export of LNG to third countries via the EU, plus a ban on new investments to help Russia complete LNG projects it is working on.
Scores of new 鈥渆ntities鈥 鈥 often companies, banks, agencies and other organizations 鈥 were added to the EU鈥檚 list, including some in China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Many are accused of or providing sensitive equipment to Russia.
More than 50 officials are also being targeted with asset freezes, as well as travel bans. Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and scores of lawmakers and several oligarchs are among more than 1,700 people .
Over 400 include companies working in the military, aviation, shipbuilding and machinery sectors, the Wagner mercenary group, political parties and banks. Around 210 billion euros ($225 billion) worth of Russian Central Bank assets are blocked in the EU.
After chairing the meeting, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that 鈥淧utin wants to prove that Ukraine is vulnerable, and we have to prove that we will support Ukraine.鈥
Borrell said that an agreement was reached to provide Ukraine with 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in July, and a further 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) by the end of the year, to boost its stocks of air defense equipment and ammunition, and to help bolster the country's defense industry.
The money would be drawn from profits made from frozen Russian assets held in Europe, he said.
Earlier, some ministers had insisted that action must be taken to end hybrid attacks in Europe by Russia that take place in a 鈥済rey zone鈥 just below the threshold of military action which are aimed at destabilizing Ukraine鈥檚 backers.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that 鈥渢here鈥檚 a plethora of actions they have been undertaking against European countries.鈥 Finland has with Russia, blaming the Kremlin for an orchestrated campaign exploiting migrants.
鈥淭here is no observer status in Europe anymore to Russia鈥檚 aggression. We are all victims of Russia鈥檚 aggression,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t is crucial that we keep on aiding Ukraine because Russia only understands power.鈥
Her Lithuanian counterpart, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said there is 鈥渁mple evidence鈥 of malign activity by Russia.
鈥淯nfortunately, I don鈥檛 think that we are yet sending the right message,鈥 he said. 鈥淢oscow has to get a very clear message that whenever they escalate, they will receive an answer from our side.鈥
NATO warned in May of Russian 鈥渉ostile state activity鈥 toward both their countries, as well as against the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Poland and the U.K., and said that the Kremlin's actions 鈥渃onstitute a threat to allied security.鈥
In a separate move, the EU imposed sanctions on two people accused of online espionage with the 鈥淐allisto group,鈥 Ruslan Peretyatko and Andrey Korinets. It said the group has waged cyber operations against EU member countries to try to steal sensitive defense and diplomatic data.
Also targeted for hacking activities and spreading malicious software were members of the 鈥淎rmageddon hacker鈥 and 鈥淲izard Spider鈥 groups.
