Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2022
130. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the current sanctions being imposed on the Russian Federation and named Russian officials as a result of Russia’s unlawful and unjustified invasion of Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23175/22]
View answer134. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if further sanctions are likely to be placed on Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22915/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 134 together.
The EU has already adopted five sanctions packages in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and is currently discussing a sixth package of sanctions. Together, these are the most extensive sanctions in the history of the EU. The aim of these sanctions is to deprive the Russian government, and the supporters and enablers of this war, of the means to continue their illegal aggression against Ukraine.
The sanctions are composed of both sectoral measures, which target specific economic sectors, industries or broad areas (such as the media), and of individual measures, which apply to named people and entities.
The sectoral sanctions target the Russian financial, energy, technology and defence, and transport sectors. Similar sanctions have also been introduced on Belarus, in view of the support that it has given to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Restrictive measures on trade with the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in Ukraine have been introduced. Restrictions have also been put in place on the broadcasting of certain Russia state-owned media platforms in the EU, to limit the spread of disinformation.
The financial sanctions on Russia are particularly wide-ranging, affecting most of the Russian banking system, as well as key State-owned companies. Among other things, they ban transactions with the Central Bank of Russia, restrict Russian access to the EU’s capital and financial markets, and exclude key Russian banks from the SWIFT financial messaging system.
The sixth sanctions package is expected to include additional listings of individuals, such as high-ranking Russian military officers responsible for atrocities in Bucha and the siege of Mariupol. Additional entities in the Russian defence sector are also expected to be sanctioned, bringing the total number of entities sanctioned to close to 100. On the financial side, three more Russian banks, including Sberbank, are to be removed from the SWIFT financial messaging system. The sale and transfer of EU property to residents of Russia it to be prohibited, as will the provision of audit and accountancy services, tax and other consultancy services and public relations services to Russian companies. Export controls are to be further strengthened. An additional three major Russian State-owned broadcasters will also be sanctioned.
Significantly, it is planned to ban the import of Russian oil to the EU, with a phasing-out period to ensure that Member States can secure alternative supplies. This follows the ban on imports of Russian coal to the EU, as introduced in the fifth sanctions package, which will be effective from August.
General principles guiding the adoption of EU sanctions are that they must be sustainable for Member States to implement, and that they should cause more damage to the sanctioned parties than to the EU. All proposals for new EU sanctions concerning Russia and Belarus are prepared in close coordination with partner countries, such as the US and the UK, to ensure that they will have maximal impact.
To date, Ireland has supported the widest possible sanctions, and has expressed openness to additional tough measures, including a possible future ban on the import of Russian gas. EU Member States will continue to consider further sanctions until a ceasefire in Ukraine can be agreed and the Russian invasion is deemed to have ended.
