EU to ban Russian combatants under latest sanctions package
EU member states will now have several weeks to examine the measures before they formally take effect.
Brussels has moved to tighten the screws on Moscow again, unveiling the European Commission’s 21st package of sanctions against Russia more than four years after the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Under the latest measures, Russian combatants would be barred from entering the European Union, 30 more ships will be added to a sanctions list that already covers 632 vessels, and a further 31 Russian banks will also come under restrictions.
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EU member states will now have several weeks to examine the measures before they formally take effect.
Aughinish Alumina, the Co Limerick refinery that has come under intense scrutiny over a rise in alumina exports to Russia, was not included in the new package, it is understood.
The claim, first reported in March by a consortium of European media organisations, including the Irish Times, is that alumina shipped from the plant ultimately ends up in weapons systems used by Russia in attacks that have killed tens of thousands of civilians in Ukraine.
The company has said it is operating in line with EU sanctions. But because alumina itself has not been sanctioned, that argument has done little to calm critics, among them a growing group of Irish MEPs facing questions from colleagues in Brussels.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Ms Kallas said the matter would be raised as an issue of concern when she meets the Taoiseach in Dublin.
Even so, the European Commission has opted not to target alumina exports to Russia or place the refinery itself under sanctions in this latest round.
Senior officials and several member states are understood to believe more detailed analysis is required, amid concerns that sanctioning the company — which supplies more than 30% of Europe’s alumina needs — could inflict greater damage on the EU than on Russia.
Taoiseach to discuss EU presidency with Kaja Kallas
Before Ms Kallas’s visit to Dublin, Mr Martin said their talks would centre on the EU presidency and Ireland’s priorities for the six-month term.
In recent weeks, the Taoiseach has been meeting heads of state as Ireland prepares to assume the presidency of the EU Council in July.
During that six-month stretch, Ireland will be responsible for organising and chairing EU Council meetings and negotiations, while also representing the council in dealings with the European Parliament and the European Commission.
Roughly 30,000 delegates are expected to travel to Ireland over the period, with meetings compressed into four-and-a-half months once the August break and the Christmas period are taken out.
