EU Rushes to Finalize Sanctions on Russia Amid Kremlin Denials

London and Brussels have unveiled new, coordinated sanctions against Russia, accusing Moscow of persistent and reckless attempts to destabilize Europe. The sanctions target Russian intelligence officers and come amid long-standing accusations of Russian involvement in cyberattacks, election interference, and digital sabotage against NATO countries.

“

We do not agree with any of these accusations. These accusations are consistently unfounded, they consistently lack evidence, and we never receive such evidence.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov vehemently denied the allegations. "We do not agree with any of these accusations," Peskov told reporters, responding to an AFP query. He described the claims as consistently unfounded and lacking evidence, stating that Moscow has never received any proof. Peskov further asserted that the sanctions against GRU officers are "unlawful" and will have no impact on Moscow's policies, adding that Russia has adapted to thousands of previous sanctions and learned to mitigate their effects.

Meanwhile, European Union member states are in a race against time to agree on a new package of sanctions against Russia. The urgency stems from an approaching deadline that could weaken a crucial measure designed to limit Moscow's oil revenues. EU ambassadors were scheduled for final negotiations in Brussels to finalize the new package, as numerous objections had stalled previous agreement attempts.

“

We have adapted to tens of thousands of sanctions that have been imposed on our country. We have learned how to bypass these sanctions, we have learned how to minimize their negative impact. We will continue to do so.

Failure to reach a consensus by Wednesday could force the EU to raise the price cap on Russian oil, which is intended to limit Moscow's earnings from global exports. The current cap is set at $44 per barrel, but it is scheduled to increase to a level closer to international market prices if an agreement is not reached, especially following recent price surges due to Middle East conflicts. Brussels aims to maintain the current price cap for several more months to prevent the Kremlin from benefiting from price hikes. However, the proposed 21st sanctions package has encountered difficulties, with various countries objecting to specific measures and seeking amendments, including concerns over listing Russia's Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, a ban on importing Alaska pollock, and a potential full visa ban for Russian citizens involved in the Ukraine war.

“

Our goal is to agree. If we don't have an agreement, we will start working on plan B.