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[Paris = Yuki Tani]European Union (EU) member states have unanimously approved the 10th round of sanctions against Russia, which continues to invade Ukraine, on the 24th. The EU had promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the sanctions would be introduced by the same day, one year after the start of the invasion, but Poland opposed some of the sanctions. Although an agreement was reached in the end, it revealed that the member countries were out of step.
Sweden, the chair country, announced the agreement late on the same day. The 10th round of sanctions includes an 11 billion euro (about 1.58 trillion yen) export control measure against Russia and a freeze on EU assets against three Russian banks.
Archyde.com reported that the member states had been in talks for several days, but were unable to reach an agreement on Monday morning. Poland has objected to proposed sanctions against imports of Russian synthetic rubber used in tire manufacturing. “The EU proposal is too weak,” Prime Minister Morawiecki told reporters during his visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
At night, Poland finally made concessions and a deal was reached, a contrast to the United States and Britain, which announced sanctions at a press conference.