The European Commission plans to propose sanctions against vessels transporting North Korean weapons to Russia, Reuters informs.
According to sources, the European Commission will propose sanctions not only against vessels transporting weapons but also against tankers that exceed the established Group of Seven boundary price for Russian oil.
These measures could be included in the 14th package of EU anti-Russian sanctions. The European Commission is already finalizing its preparation.
Reuters specifies that up to 40 companies are being considered for inclusion in the sanctions list. Among them are Russian companies that purchase weapons for their army, as well as companies from third countries that have sold electronics, semiconductors, and microchips to Russia. These companies are based in the United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan, Turkiye, and China.
Sources have revealed that this week the European Commission will hold unofficial negotiations with EU countries before submitting the sanctions package for consideration by the EU Council.
Weapons from North Korea to Russia
It is worth noting that North Korea actively supports Russia in the war against Ukraine, providing its weaponry to the Russian forces.
In particular, earlier this year, the White House reported that North Korea had provided its ballistic missiles to the Russian army. These missiles have been used multiple times to strike Ukrainian territory.
Furthermore, on February 16th, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Andrii Kostin, revealed that the Russian forces had used at least 24 North Korean ballistic missiles for strikes on Ukrainian territory.
