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Asia countries may face EU sanctions over 'washing machines' to Russia

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Telegraph
25 Mar 2023 17:13

The Telegraph report says that the EU will impose sanctions on countries involved and ban their exports to the union's single market.

Plastic letters arranged to read "sanctions" are placed in front of the flag colors of the EU and Russia in this illustration taken February 28, 2022 (Reuters)

Countries assisting Russia in accessing goods and technology that are otherwise prohibited according to western restrictions on Moscow may be potential targets of EU sanctions, The Telegraph said on Saturday, as per a confidential report acquired.

According to the newspaper, land routes to Russia from its allies in Central Asia have increased between 60 and 80% and are used to transport banned "dual-use technologies" that can serve for both civilian or military uses - such as washing machines for their semiconductors and used cars for their parts.

Before imposing sanctions, the EU will try to resolve the issue with countries involved through dialogue, the report said, noting that in case evidence was found that implicates these nations, then they will be banned from accessing the "single market" - or the EU market.

“We should give a strong signal to persons and entities in third states,” according to the confidential document.

“The provision of material support to Russia’s military and defence industrial base will have severe consequences regarding their access to the EU market.”

Russia has been facing sanctions pressure that the United States, the European Union, and their allies have been piling on it since the outbreak of the Ukraine war in 2022.

Earlier this month, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the European Union has nearly exhausted its capacity to impose further sanctions on Russia, but Brussels may still continue boosting its financial and military aid for Ukraine.

The bloc was "getting to the end of the ladder," he said then.

The tenth package of sanctions was imposed on Russia on February 24, marking the first anniversary of the Ukraine war. The new package included tighter export restrictions on dual-use technologies.