The EU is preparing new sanctions against the “ghost” fleet of Russia and the companies supporting Moscow

The EU is preparing to adopt a new set of sanctions against Russia. The package provides for the sanction of an extended list of ships belonging to the “ghost” fleet of Russia, used for oil transport.

Photo: X.

The ambassadors of the 27 EU member states are to meet on Wednesday to discuss what could become the 17th pack of sanctions against the Russian economy since the invasion in Ukraine.

The package provides for the sanction of an extended list of ships belonging to the “ghost” fleet of Russia, used for oil transport – an essential source of income for Moscow – as well as sanctions against people and companies supporting the Kremlin war effort. The measures could be adjusted in the following days, writes News.ro.

Union foreign ministers would officially approve the sanctions next week, according to sources.

A European official, who spoke under the protection of anonymity, said that four Member States still had “study reserves” regarding the list of measures, which means that they are still discussing within their own governments.

“Although Hungary is always an unpredictable variable, it seems that the agreement is almost certain,“Said the source.

The spokesman of the Hungarian government, Zoltán Kovács, reaffirmed the Budapest's position for CNBC that “sanctions do not work“But he suggested that Hungary could approve the package, as long as it does not affect the energy supply.

Although Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly criticized EU sanctions against Russia, Hungary has so far approved. EU sanctions must be approved unanimously by all Member States.

On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin named Westerners “idiots”, while talking about the sanctions packages imposed by Europeans.

“Westerners do a lot of things in their detriment, you would expect you not to do them, because they harm them, but they still do, the idiots. Excuse me,” said Vladimir Putin.