The EU imposed new sanctions on the Russian liquefied natural gas sector

EU countries have signed a new package of sanctions against Russia targeting the lucrative liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector for the first time, officials said, quoted by AFP.
The new measures, due to be formally adopted on June 24, aim to further halt Russian President Vladimir Putin's military actions against Ukraine.
"This heavy-handed package will further deprive Russia of access to key technologies," EU chief Ursula von der Leyen wrote in X.
"He will deprive Russia of additional energy revenues and deal with Putin's shadow navy and shadow banking network abroad," she added.
The latest sanctions - the 14th round imposed on Moscow by the EU since the 2022 invasion - include a ban on the transshipment of Russian liquefied natural gas through Europe.
They do not include a ban on the purchase of Russian liquefied natural gas from EU countries.
European ports are important to Russia because the continent offers a key export route for liquefied natural gas from frozen Arctic ports to Asian markets during the winter months.
Ports in Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Spain are the main delivery points for liquefied natural gas from Russia's Siberian Yamal Peninsula.
The Belgian port of Zeebrugge and the French port of Montoire are particularly important centers for re-exports to countries such as China, Taiwan or Turkey.
The package also includes measures aimed at making it harder for Russia to use a "shadow fleet" of vessels of unclear origin to circumvent EU sanctions on Russian crude oil.
The EU is also cracking down on Moscow's SPFS banking messaging system, used by Russia to try to ease the effects of being cut off by the West from the SWIFT global financial transfer system.
Agreement on the latest package of sanctions was blocked by Germany, which insisted on reducing the obligations of EU firms not to allow the re-export of sanctioned products to Russia via third countries.
The EU is seeking to limit the flow of goods that could be used on the battlefield, such as microchips, through countries including former Soviet republics neighboring Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Diplomats said several other Chinese firms accused of aiding the Russian military were also added to a blacklist that prevents EU firms from doing business with them.
Restrictions are also being introduced on political parties, think tanks and media service providers that accept money from Russia to try to limit perceived interference by Moscow. | BGNES