Russia expands blacklist to include EU leadership, European Parliament deputies in response to sanctions

beijingwalker · Apr 1, 2022

Russia expands blacklist to include EU leadership, European Parliament deputies in response to sanctions

BY CAROLINE VAKIL - 03/31/22 1:51 PM ET

Russia’s foreign ministry announced on Thursday that it is expanding its blacklist of people blocked from entering the country to include European Union leadership and European Parliament deputies in response to the EU’s sanctions.

The blacklist includes “top leadership of the European Union, [including] a number of European commissioners and heads of EU military structures, as well as the vast majority of deputies of the European Parliament” who are allegedly encouraging “anti-Russian policies,” according to a statement from the foreign ministry.

Russia’s foreign ministry alleged that the sanctions imposed by the EU go “beyond all boundaries” and that Brussels European officials contributed to Russophobic and “neo-Nazi” sentiment in Ukraine.

“…they are trying to involve other sovereign countries in these senseless and illegitimate efforts from the international legal point of view, which are fraught with a further escalation of tension in Europe and the world, contrary to their national interests. They are subjected to unprecedented pressure and blackmail,” Moscow claimed.’

The development comes as the European Union, the U.S., Canada and other countries have imposed harsh economic sanctions against Russia after it decided to invade Ukraine. The United States has sanctioned Russian oligarchs with ties to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin himself as well as Russian banks.

In a further blow to Russia’s economy, the White House announced plans to release an average of 1 million barrels of oil per day over the next six months from the country’s strategic reserves.

The U.S. has already barred Russian imports of natural gas, oil and coal, and the U.S. and European Commissions announced a task force to help reduce Europe’s energy reliance from Russia earlier this month.