Barely 100 days after the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU has already implemented its sixth package of sanctions against the aggressor. However, not everyone seems convinced that the measures make sense: Croatian President Zoran Milanovic is convinced that Russia now feels no financial consequences from the measures.
“Unfortunately, the sanctions are not working. The ruble has not fallen and Russia is not currently feeling any financial impact,” said Milanovic, referring to the latest EU sanctions package against Moscow. By the time the impact on Russia is felt, the war will be over.
“European citizens will pay the price”
“European citizens will pay the price, Putin will smile with satisfaction,” Milanovic said. “Oil and gas are just going elsewhere because the demand is high and the buyers are there,” he added.
No gas embargo an “insult”
According to Milanovic, the EU should introduce a full energy embargo against Russia. “Why hasn’t there been a gas embargo in place?” asked the president on Tuesday in front of journalists ahead of the EU’s agreement on an oil embargo. The reasons given by the EU commission against a gas embargo “are an affront to common sense”, he criticized.
Meanwhile, at the EU’s summit of heads of state and government, a heated discussion arose over recent phone calls with the Kremlin boss. In addition to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) also had contact with Putin in this way.
Dispute over calls from Putin
“We had a heated debate about calling Putin,” Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said on Estonian television on Tuesday evening. She expressed her opinion on what “the so-called benefits” of the calls have been since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Kallas had repeatedly criticized the talks with Putin.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
