EU to adopt 20th sanctions package against Russia next Mon.

BRUSSELS, Fevb 20 (KUNA) -- High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said Friday that the EU intends to adopt its 20th sanctions package against Russia next Monday, stressing that the sanctions "are working and are severely hurting the Russian economy." Her remarks came in a press statement following the E5 Defense Ministerial Meeting held in Krakow, Poland, with the participation of defense ministers from Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland and France, alongside NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska. "We aim to adopt the 20th sanctions package against Russia next Monday. Sanctions are effective; they are inflicting serious damage on the Russian economy, and each new measure further limits Russia's ability to wage the war," Kallas said.
She added that "Russian President Vladimir Putin will not end this war until its costs outweigh its benefits, and that is the point we must reach." Kallas noted that "Europe's security is more uncertain than it has been in decades. If we want to keep our countries safe, we must strengthen Europe's hard power.
"We are already investing record sums in defense. Today's announcement by five countries to develop low-cost air defense systems to protect European skies is an example of taking greater responsibility for our own defense," she added.
The EU official affirmed that "Russia poses a major threat," amid continued instability in the Middle East, describing China as "a long term challenge," while noting that "the transatlantic link is being redefined with the United States in expecting Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defense." She explained that the Russian military is "stalled in Ukraine," but what she described as Moscow's "hybrid warfare" in Europe is intensifying, including cyberattacks, acts of sabotage and drone incursions.
Kallas stressed that Europe "is responding to these challenges," adding, "We are sanctioning those responsible, tightening controls on the movements of Russian diplomats, stepping up actions against Russia's shadow fleet, and deploying hybrid response teams to partner countries at risk." Addressing the recent talks in Geneva, she said they showed that Russia "is not moving away from its maximalist demands," noting that "the war has become even more brutal for Ukraine over the past year, and Russia is dragging out negotiations rather than moving toward peace," underscoring the need "to see concessions from the Russian side in order to achieve sustainable peace". (end) arn.hb