The European Commission will convene on April 8 to discuss the ongoing sanctions against Russia and Belarus and assess their effectiveness in achieving the intended objectives.
Maria Luis Albuquerque, Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, will chair the seventh meeting of the High-Level Group on Union Restrictive Measures (sanctions). The meeting will involve discussions on how to further enforce and implement the sanctions, in light of the latest geopolitical developments.
The morning session will involve high-level representatives from EU member states, focusing on the coordination and enforcement of the sanctions. Later in the day, the fifth Sanctions Coordinators Forum will take place, with participation from the EU’s international partners, including the United Kingdom, the U.S., Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Ukraine.
The Forum plays a key role in ensuring the full and effective implementation of EU sanctions. It will also address concerns about sanctions being circumvented through third countries and work to ensure alignment with international partners.
On April 1, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas mentioned that the bloc was already discussing the 17th sanctions package targeting Russia. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained that his country can withstand the growing sanctions pressure, asserting that the Western attempts to contain Russia have dealt a significant blow to the global economy. Western countries, however, have acknowledged the limited impact of the sanctions.
(NAN)
