EU Ambassadors Agree on Powerful 14th Package of Sanctions Against Russia: LNG Banned

EU ambassadors have agreed on a "powerful and substantial" 14th package of sanctions against Russia in response to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine. This was reported by the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council.

"This package provides for new targeted measures and maximises the impact of existing sanctions by closing loopholes," the statement said. 

The new measures approved include a ban on transshipment of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a plan to hold EU operators liable for violations of sanctions by subsidiaries and partners in third countries.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the decision. 

"I welcome the agreement on our 14th package of sanctions against Russia. This tough package will further deny Russia access to key technologies. It will deprive Russia of further energy revenues. And it will crack down on Putin's shadow navy and shadow banking network abroad," she said.

As reported, ambassadors from 27 European Union countries have been discussing the new package of sanctions for over a month. Earlier, Reuters quoted EU diplomats as saying that Germany had allegedly blocked the package, despite the fact that a clause that Berlin considered problematic had been removed.