Ukrainian marines from the 37th Brigade check their French-made AMX-10 RC armoured fighting vehicle at a position in the Donetsk region on July 10, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Anatolii Stepanov / AFP)
The European Union has proposed imposing export bans on firms in mainland China, India and Turkey accused of supplying Russia with military technology as part of a new round of sanctions over the war in Ukraine, according to a document seen by AFP.
Officials in Brussels are currently hammering out a 13th package of sanctions on Russia to coincide with the second anniversary of its all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
As part of the push, the EU's diplomatic service has proposed adding around 20 firms, including three in mainland China, one in Turkey and one in India to an export blacklist of those providing support to Russia's military.
That would mean firms in the 27-nation bloc would be prohibited from doing business with the companies as Brussels steps up efforts to crack down on the circumvention of its sanctions on Russia.
The EU has already placed similar export bans on over 600 firms, including three based in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong, and firms in countries including Armenia, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.
If EU members states agree to the proposal it will be the first time that firms in mainland China will be targeted for helping Russia get around sanctions on acquiring technology that can be used on the battlefield.
Brussels last year proposed putting five Chinese firms on the list but they were dropped in the face of opposition from Beijing and reluctance from some EU capitals.
An EU diplomat told AFP that so far this time only Hungary has expressed reservations about adding more firms from third countries to the blacklist.
The EU has already imposed 12 rounds of unprecedented sanctions on Moscow since it launched its invasion.
Officials say it is becoming increasingly difficult to agree on new sectors of the Russian economy to hit and increasing attention has focused on closing loopholes in the current measures.
The new sanctions being planned are also expected to see scores more Russian officials subjected to an asset freeze and visa bans in the EU.
IOL