European Union Member States, in cooperation with the G7 countries, announced their intention, during the night of Wednesday 21 to Thursday 22 September, to impose new sanctions on Russia “as soon as possible” in response to the Kremlin’s escalation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with the mobilisation of 300,000 reservists on Wednesday (see EUROPE 13026/7), and the announcement of referendums to annex Ukrainian territories militarily occupied by the Russian army.
“Russia, its political leadership, and all those involved in organising these “referenda” as well as in other violations of international law and international humanitarian law in Ukraine will be held accountable, and additional restrictive measures against Russia will be brought forward as soon as possible in coordination with our partners”, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, said in a statement.
Earlier on Wednesday evening, he called an extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to assess the situation, consider continuing military assistance to Ukraine “for as long as necessary”, through the mobilisation of a new tranche of the European Peace Facility, and identify new sanctions targeting Russia and its political supporters inside and outside the country.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had indicated that the EU was ready to impose “new economic costs” on Russia, new sanctions on individuals and entities guilty of violations of international law as well as “additional export controls on civilian technology”, as “Russia moves to a full-scale war economy”. On Thursday, during a speech at Princeton University, she said that “this is the time for us to show resolve, not appeasement” with Moscow.
Oil price cap. Meeting on Wednesday evening on the sidelines of the UNGA, the G7 foreign ministers promised to develop “new targeted sanctions” to keep up the economic and political pressure on Russia.
In their communiqué, the ministers reaffirmed their intention to finalise work on applying “a price cap on Russian-origin crude oil and oil products”, in line with an earlier announcement by their counterparts in finance (see EUROPE 13013/1). They argue that this will reduce Russia’s ability to “ fund its war of aggression” and limit the impact of the war on global energy prices, “particularly for low and middle income countries”.
“Successful implementation of the price cap could thus also help reduce food prices due to lower input costs”, they added, calling for a “broad coalition” of countries to maximise this cap’s effectiveness. They also called on countries still seeking to import Russian oil to “only do so at prices at or below the price cap”.
The G7 countries also expressed “deep concern” about the discovery of “atrocities” such as “mass graves, crime scenes and torture facilities” in territories recently liberated by the Ukrainian army, notably in Izyum and the Kharkiv region. It is of utmost importance to gather evidence to hold the perpetrators accountable, they stressed.
On Ukrainian agricultural exports, the ministers “reiterated that Russia’s destruction of agricultural and transport infrastructure in Ukraine and its months-long blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports have greatly exacerbated global food insecurity”. And they welcomed the progress made through the UN’s Black Sea Grain Initiative, through which “far more than half of exported Ukrainian grain went to low and middle-income countries” as well as the establishment of EU solidarity lanes (see EUROPE 12951/4).
See the G7 countries’ statement: https://aeur.eu/f/38c
Humanitarian visas. The announcement of the partial military mobilisation in Russia provoked spontaneous movements of opposition in Russia and of departure abroad. The question arises as to how to receive Russian citizens seeking asylum in the EU, notably through humanitarian visas, while the EU has just restricted the application of the visa facilitation agreement for Russians wishing to enter the EU (see EUROPE 13018/10).
Some of Russia’s neighbouring countries have decreed that they will no longer grant visas to Russians. “Many Russians who now flee Russia because of mobilisation were fine with killing Ukrainians before (...) It is not right to consider them as conscientious objectors. There are considerable security risks in admitting them and plenty of countries outside the EU [for them] to go to“, said Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs.
On the other hand, through the same channel, the German Justice Minister said that Russians who “love democracy” were welcome in Germany.
On behalf of the European Commission, Anitta Hipper said that the Schengen Borders Code allows Member States to refuse entry to a third-country national “on the grounds of security and public order”. The key, she added, is to “develop a common approach” with Member States, insisting that each visa application must be assessed “individually”. “When it comes to access to the EU for people seeking asylum, EU law guarantees this, in line with our rules and values”, she added. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)