A Ukrainian service member checks an area after a shooting from a towed howitzer FH-70 at a front line, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Donbas Region, Ukraine, July 18, 2022. (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)
Brussels: The ministers of foreign affairs of the European Union stressed on Monday that there should be no doubt about their commitment to imposing sanctions on Russia in response to the war in Ukraine, despite the rising tension linked to high energy prices in Europe.
The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels that the union will not stop supporting Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia.
Moreover, the foreign ministers are meeting to discuss a new package of sanctions banning Russian gold exports to the bloc and tightening the implementation of the punitive measures already in effect.
In contrast, the impact of Russian sanctions currently imposed on the European Union was at the top of the ministers' agenda and was discussed at the start of the meeting.
However, Borrell categorically denied the existence of any request made by any EU member state to undo any of the punitive measures adopted against Russia as a result of the sharp rise in energy costs.
It is noteworthy that Western countries, led by the United States and Britain, imposed unprecedented sanctions on Russia due to its special military operation in Ukraine launched on February 24.
The Western sanctions range from banning Russian oil and gold exports to pressuring the Russian banking sector, as well as preventing companies from major countries from dealing with the Russian market and cutting Russia off the international banking transactions system "Swift".
In addition, the assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation in Western countries were frozen, and the airspace of these countries was shut in front of Russian planes.
