Poland has called for new European Union (EU) sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. The proposal includes several measures:
- Ban on Russian Diamonds: Poland suggests banning the import of Russian diamonds. In 2021, the sale of these diamonds contributed $4.5 billion to the Russian budget.
- Individual Sanctions on Alrosa: The proposal recommends imposing individual sanctions on the Russian Alrosa diamond company. Poland alleges that Alrosa has provided support to Russian military forces and the war efforts in Ukraine, both directly and indirectly.
- Alignment of Sanctions Against Belarus with Russia: Poland advocates aligning sanctions against Belarus with those against Russia.
- Ban on ICT Services: Poland suggests prohibiting the provision of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services to entities from Russia. This would encompass computer software, cybersecurity services, and other ICT/IT services. The proposal highlights that although IT consultancy services were banned in the 8th package of sanctions against Russia, subsequent packages did not expand the ban to other ICT services.
- Inclusion of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Sanctions: The proposal points out that LPG, despite being a petroleum product, has not been covered by the EU’s embargo on products in this category. Poland recommends including LPG in the sanctions.
Poland’s proposal comes as part of the ongoing efforts by the EU to impose sanctions on Russia in response to its actions in Ukraine. The EU has already implemented multiple sanctions packages against Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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