European Union agrees for new sanctions against Russia

The European Union on Friday, the first anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, agreed to a new round of sanctions against Moscow, Deutsche Welle (DW) reported.

This comes as the tenth sanction package to be adopted by the EU member states.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during her visit to Kyiv earlier this month that the EU would "aim to have the tenth package of sanctions in place" by the one-year mark of Russia's invasion, according to DW.

The new sanctions target entities supporting war and spreading Russian propaganda.

According to Sweden, which took over the Council's rotating presidency at the beginning of the year, the new measures "targeted restricted measures against individuals and entities supporting the war, spreading propaganda or delivering drones used by Russia in the war."

"Together, the EU member states have imposed the most forceful and far-reaching sanctions ever to help Ukraine win the war," the Swedish presidency said on Twitter, DW reported.

"The EU stands united with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. We will keep supporting Ukraine, for as long as it takes," it added.

On the first anniversary of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the European Union ambassador, head of missions of EU member states and like-minded nations, along with Ukraine Charge d'Affaires Ivan Konovalov on Friday held a meeting to commemorate the victims.

The envoys observed a minute of silence to pay tribute to the victims of the ongoing military conflict.

Adam Burakowski, Poland's ambassador to India, condemned the Russian offensive against Ukraine. Speaking to ANI, Burakowski said Poland has been providing all kinds of support to Ukraine.

"Poland condemns the Russian aggression against Ukraine from day one. We offer all kinds of support to Ukraine. We stand with Ukraine from day one. We have received millions of refugees from Ukraine and we are supporting Ukraine also by giving them all kinds of help, humanitarian, but also military. We are supporting them with weapons and we are really making this war. We are really informing all the world about this war, which is absolutely unacceptable," Burakowski told ANI.

European Union's ambassador to India, Ugo Astuto, on Friday said he respects India's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

He made the remark while responding to a question about India's abstention from the voting at the United Nations General Assembly.

"We respect India's position. We have also taken good note of what the Prime Minister has said not so long ago that this is not the time for war. And we have also noted what India has been trying proactively, for instance on the occasion when the arrangement to export grains through the Black Sea was being negotiated. So, India is playing a positive role and I am sure that this will continue," said the EU envoy.