The Council of the European Union decided on September 13 to prolong for a further six months, until March 15 2024, the restrictive measures targeting those responsible for undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, a statement by the Council of the EU said.
The existing restrictive measures provide for travel restrictions for natural persons, the freezing of assets, and a ban on making funds or other economic resources available to the listed individuals and entities.
Sanctions will continue to apply to almost 1800 individuals and entities altogether, many of which are targeted in response to Russia’s ongoing unjustified and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine, the statement said.
In the context of the sanctions’ review, the Council also decided not to renew the listings of four individuals, the statement said, without identifying them.
The statement said that after February 24 2022, in response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, the European Union massively expanded sanctions against Russia with the aim of significantly curtailing its ability to wage war, depriving it of critical technologies and markets and weakening Russia’s economic base.
In the European Council conclusions of June 29-30 2023, the EU reiterated its resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter, and recalled the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its inherent right of self-defence against the Russian aggression.
“The EU will continue to provide strong financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes,” the statement said.