The European Union is being forced to impose sanctions against Russian aluminum – Kommersant

European aluminum producers, backed by four European Union (EU) countries, are putting pressure on the bloc to impose an embargo on imports of the metal from Russia, it said Politico with reference to European diplomats. According to them, Brussels is unlikely to be able to introduce these restrictions in the next package of sanctions.

Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Estonia are in favor of banning the introduction of Russian aluminum into the EU. According to the publication, Europe still imports 9% of aluminum from Russia, which brought Moscow a profit of about €2.3 billion in 2022. However, the proposed restrictions are likely to “face opposition from industrialized countries such as Italy” who fear rising aluminum prices.

The group of industrial metal consumers in the EU (FACE) is also against the adoption of these sanctions. Imposing restrictions on aluminum would be “a kind of economic tactical nuclear bomb,” FACE said in December 2023, noting that “sanctions should not be weaponized.”

December 18, 2023 EU approved 12th package of sanctions against Russia. Among other things, Europe has limited imports from Russia of iron, cast iron, copper and aluminum products, including wire, foil, pipes, and also banned some chemicals.

Representatives of the EU countries will discuss the 13th package of sanctions on Thursday, February 8. New package restrictions affected companies that helped Moscow circumvent sanctions. The EU wants to approve the package by February 24, the second anniversary of the start of the military operation in Ukraine.

About assistance to Kyiv from Western countries – in the Kommersant material “Foundation for European Discussions”.

Laura Keffer