IPolish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday that the EU’s latest proposed sanctions package against Russia was “too soft, too weak”, during his visit to Kiev on the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Moscow.
“As for the 10th set of sanctions, we are not satisfied because it is too soft, too weak. We suggest that additional people be included. We have long suggested that additional Russian products be included,” he told reporters.
Warsaw on Friday blocked the adoption of the new series of European sanctions intended to hit the Russian economy for its invasion of Ukraine, which began just a year ago, diplomatic sources told AFP in Brussels.
The new package of European sanctions includes in particular new restrictions on exports to Russia for 11 billion euros, the freezing of the assets of three banks and numerous entities, including Iranian companies accused of supplying drones to Moscow.
However, Poland considers in particular insufficient the proposed restrictions on imports of synthetic rubber from Russia used for tires, the delegations of four member states told AFP.
Italy is asking for a long transition in order to be able to diversify supplies for its tire industry, which is fiercely refused by Warsaw.
Lithuania, for its part, had also expressed reservations: the Baltic State wanted “tougher” sanctions, particularly against the nuclear group Rosatom, “but this was not possible due to reservations from certain countries with links with Russia for nuclear energy,” President Gitanas Nauseda lamented on Friday in Vilnius.
But unlike Poland, Lithuania accepted the proposed sanctions package. “We are patient. We believe that small knocks bring down great oaks. This has happened in the past,” Nauseda explained.
The 10th set of EU sanctions is ready and “an agreement must be reached on Friday”, the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, insisted diplomats and European officials interviewed by AFP.
According to them, the blocking of Poland “penalizes Europe”, while the United States and the United Kingdom have already announced the strengthening of their sanctions. The new measures prepared by the EU were unveiled two weeks ago.
The solution is in the hands of Mateusz Morawiecki and the head of the Italian government Giorgia Meloni, both members of the same political family in Europe, estimated a diplomat. Their parties sit in the European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament.
