EU teams up with Australia in multifaceted approach including “most severe sanctions” against Russia
The EU Ambassador to Australia, Michael Pulch, says Australia will play an important role in the global response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We are working with all our partners, we are working here with Australia as well, to ensure that there will be a very, very strong signal given by the international community,” Dr Pulch told Sky News Australia’s Laura Jayes on AM Agenda.
You can watch the interview here: https://bit.ly/3HlHlaE
The Ambassador’s call to work with global counterparts comes after a busy weekend of diplomatic activity in Europe, culminating in a raft of actions ranging from imposing sanctions, freezing Russian central bank assets and raising Russia’s military aggression in the UN Security Council.
The EU adopted a three-pronged strategy that includes not only strong sanctions, but also supporting Ukraine and taking a more holistic approach such as banning Russian media outlets in the EU.
“We said beforehand that we would impose the most severe sanctions that we have ever imposed on any country in our history and that’s what we did,” Dr Pulch said during the interview.
He explained the sanctions would hit the Russian economy and financial services, “a very dramatic step forward”, as well as its energy industry.
The Ambassador also detailed the EU and Member State support for Ukraine.
“Ukraine will receive a 1.2b euro macroeconomics support facility,” Dr Pulch said. “We’ve decided to purchase lethal weapons through a peace facility that is run by the European Commission.
“Member States have decided to change their long-standing policy in order to be able to send arms to Ukraine and that’s happening already.”
The Ambassador was highlighted the EU’s efforts to target Russia in other sectors, such as transport and on access to advanced technologies.
“We will need to cut through Russian propaganda and that is the holistic approach we are taking now,” he said. “We are banning Russia Today and Sputnik as media here across the EU.
“We are banning aircraft to land and fly over the European Union.”
The Ambassador acknowledged the need to target wealthy Russian leaders and oligarchs.
“We already have 700 individuals on a list for targeted sanctions, and mind you, that includes President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov,” Dr Pulch said.
“This includes also a range of the oligarchs of the elite system around the current government.
“We have decided that the financial sanctions will include also freezing of assets for these persons.”
The EU has a range of publicly available information on its response to Russian aggression in Ukraine including:
- A factsheet on the sanctions at europa.eu/!G39MMM
- A question and answer document about the sanctions at europa.eu/!ncYkGv
- The EU’s latest Ukraine news at europa.eu/!Vv3qGy
- The EUvsDisinfo website at bit.ly/3BWR4TH