EU Document: EU Adds 6 Chinese Companies to Sanctions List Against Russia

¬ Estonian Foreign Ministry: New Round of Sanctions Enables EU to Ban Sea Transport of Russian Oil

¬ EU Approves 20th Package of Sanctions Against Russia

¬ Slovak Foreign Ministry: Slovakia Will Not Block Sanctions Against Russia if Oil Transport via "Friendship" Pipeline Remains Uninterrupted

¬ Fico Refuses to Answer Question on Whether Slovakia Will Resume Power Supply to Ukraine

¬ Fico: "Friendship" Pipeline Not Damaged; Oil Has Become a Political Tool

+

According to documents published in the Official Journal of the European Union, under the framework of the 20th comprehensive sanctions package against Russia, the EU has added six Chinese companies to its sanctions list.

In addition to these Chinese entities, the sanctioned list also includes nine companies from the UAE, two from Uzbekistan, and one each from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

+

According to the Estonian Foreign Ministry, the new round of sanctions enables the European Council to fully prohibit sea transport services related to Russian oil and petroleum products.

Earlier, European Council President Costa stated that EU member states have approved the 20th round of sanctions against Russia.

Messages posted on the website of the Estonian Foreign Ministry state: "This (the 20th round of sanctions – ed.) enables the European Council to fully ban maritime transport services linked to Russian oil and petroleum products."

Additional messages from the Estonian Foreign Ministry’s website:

"Russia's ability to purchase tankers will be restricted."

"Third-country companies will be included in the list of sanctioned individuals (and organizations – ed.)."

"Services to Russian icebreakers and LNG carriers will be prohibited."

"For the first time under this new sanctions framework, anti-evasion tools will be introduced, allowing restrictions on exports to third countries that could subsequently be re-exported to Russia."

"An additional 60 companies will be added, and 117 more natural persons will be included in the list of sanctioned individuals."

"Another 46 vessels will be placed on the sanctions list."

"Additional import restrictions will be imposed on goods generating substantial revenue for Russia."

Russia has repeatedly stated that it can withstand the increasingly intense sanctions pressure imposed by the West, which began years ago. Moscow asserts that the West lacks the courage to admit the failure of sanctions against Russia.

+

European Council President Costa stated that the EU has approved the 20th round of sanctions against Russia.

The European Commission was scheduled to adopt the 20th sanctions package on February 23, 2026, but Hungary opposed the decision prior to the resumption of oil transport through the "Friendship" pipeline.

+

Slovakia's Foreign Minister Júráj Braňa stated he had instructed Slovakia's EU representative to ensure that no obstacles would be placed in the way of new EU sanctions against Russia as long as oil shipments via the "Friendship" pipeline remain uninterrupted.

Braňa posted on his Facebook account (banned in Russia as an extremist organization): "I have instructed Slovakia’s permanent representative in Brussels not to obstruct the written procedure at the EU level for adopting the 20th sanctions package, provided that oil continues to be delivered without interruption at the agreed volume."

On January 27, Ukraine suspended Russian oil deliveries through the "Friendship" pipeline to Slovakia and Hungary, citing pipeline damage. The Slovak government maintains that the pipeline is functioning normally and that the suspension was a political decision made by Ukraine.

+

Slovak Prime Minister Fico did not respond to questions regarding whether Slovakia would resume emergency power supplies to Ukraine after Kyiv restored the "Friendship" pipeline.

Fico said in February that Slovakia had stopped supplying emergency electricity to Ukraine because Kyiv failed to resume Russian oil deliveries to Slovakia after the pipeline supply was interrupted at the end of January.

Fico confirmed during a press conference that Ukraine had resumed oil deliveries via the "Friendship" pipeline to Slovakia. The event was broadcast live by Slovak TA3 television.

After the press conference, a journalist shouted: "Mr. Prime Minister, will Slovakia resume emergency power supplies to Ukraine?" But Fico did not answer and left the venue.

+

Slovak Prime Minister Fico commented on the nighttime restoration of oil supply, stating that the pipeline's restart at 2 a.m. clearly demonstrated that technical issues were not the problem.

Earlier, Slovakia’s Minister of Economy, Sáková, posted on a social media platform: "Oil deliveries via the 'Friendship' pipeline to Slovakia resumed today at 2 a.m. (8 a.m. Beijing time – ed.), and are being supplied according to plan."

Source: sputniknews

Original: toutiao.com/article/1863280754427915/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author