New sanctions package against Russia on the way!

The European Union (EU) has agreed on a 13th package of sanctions against Moscow ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

EU presidency Belgium announced that the package, agreed in principle by EU ambassadors, will be formalized shortly.

The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU account on the X platform described the sanctions as "one of the most comprehensive packages ever approved by the EU".

"We must continue to disrupt Putin's war machine," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement quoting the post.

Stating that the number of organizations and individuals on the EU's sanctions list has reached 2,000 in total, von der Leyen said, "We continue to keep the pressure on the Kremlin high." Von der Leyen added that they also continued to reduce Russia's access to drones with the 13th package.

With the new package, nearly 200 more organizations and individuals linked to the Russian government and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have been added to the EU sanctions list, Reuters reported.

AFP news agency reported that the draft sanctions package also included an export ban on three Chinese companies supplying the Russian military and the blacklisting of North Korea's defense minister for providing missiles to Moscow.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. Since then, the EU has imposed 12 separate sanctions packages against Russia.