The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU has approved the extension of sanctions against Russia and Belarus for the invasion of Ukraine.
This was announced by the French presidency of the EU Council.
"COREPER II approved new sanctions against Russian leaders and oligarchs and their family members involved in Russian aggression against Ukraine. COREPER II also approved sanctions to complement and harmonize our measures with those already adopted," the statement said.
Measures were also adopted to exclude three Belarusian banks from the SWIFT system. They clarify cryptocurrency issues and provide a list of technologies and products that cannot be exported.
"Sanctions against the maritime sector have also been approved," the French presidency said.
These sanctions will be formally adopted by the EU Council through a written procedure for rapid publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
As reported, a draft statement by EU leaders due to be approved this week says the bloc is ready to apply new sanctions against Russia; there is no mention of granting Ukraine candidate country status.
