AIRLINK 176.40 Decreased By ▼ -1.16 (-0.65%)
BOP 11.22 Increased By ▲ 0.17 (1.54%)
CNERGY 8.27 Increased By ▲ 0.10 (1.22%)
FCCL 48.06 Increased By ▲ 0.74 (1.56%)
FFL 16.40 Increased By ▲ 0.28 (1.74%)
FLYNG 27.12 Decreased By ▼ -0.23 (-0.84%)
HUBC 145.20 Decreased By ▼ -1.71 (-1.16%)
HUMNL 13.65 Increased By ▲ 0.14 (1.04%)
KEL 4.48 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.44%)
KOSM 5.90 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.17%)
MLCF 62.75 Increased By ▲ 0.73 (1.18%)
OGDC 231.25 Decreased By ▼ -3.43 (-1.46%)
PACE 5.83 Increased By ▲ 0.03 (0.52%)
PAEL 45.79 Decreased By ▼ -0.62 (-1.34%)
PIAHCLA 18.05 Decreased By ▼ -0.07 (-0.39%)
PIBTL 10.66 Increased By ▲ 0.09 (0.85%)
POWER 12.10 Increased By ▲ 0.11 (0.92%)
PPL 188.97 Decreased By ▼ -2.83 (-1.48%)
PRL 37.65 Increased By ▲ 0.33 (0.88%)
PTC 23.10 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-0.43%)
SEARL 101.10 Increased By ▲ 0.21 (0.21%)
SSGC 39.18 Decreased By ▼ -0.53 (-1.33%)
SYM 14.85 Decreased By ▼ -0.18 (-1.2%)
TELE 7.89 Increased By ▲ 0.05 (0.64%)
TPLP 11.17 Increased By ▲ 0.06 (0.54%)
TRG 66.20 Decreased By ▼ -1.09 (-1.62%)
WAVESAPP 11.19 Decreased By ▼ -0.16 (-1.41%)
WTL 1.35 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.74%)
YOUW 3.81 Increased By ▲ 0.04 (1.06%)
BR100 12,953 Increased By 146.2 (1.14%)
BR30 39,465 Decreased By -238.4 (-0.6%)
KSE100 119,840 Increased By 902.3 (0.76%)
KSE30 37,124 Increased By 367.9 (1%)

BRUSSELS: European Union member states discussed options for extending the renewal period of sanctions on Russian central bank assets to secure a major Group of Seven loan to Ukraine, an EU draft document showed and diplomats said on Wednesday.

Leaders of the Group of Seven major democracies and the EU agreed in June to use the interest on frozen Russian assets to underpin a $50 billion loan for Ukraine to help it defend itself against Moscow’s invasion.

The bulk of the some $300 billion in assets is held in EU financial institutions, mostly in Belgium. According to EU regulations, the sanctions regime on Russia needs the unanimous approval of EU states to be renewed every six months.

Some of the G7 members including the United States worry that there may come a time when unanimity in the 27-nation EU is not reached, jeopardising the entire loan, EU diplomats said.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has closer ties to Russia than other national leaders in the EU, and has repeatedly held up moves to impose new restrictions and financial support to Ukraine.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive, and its foreign service arm sent a “non-paper” - a document type used in EU circles to float ideas - for the countries to discuss.

“The options are limited to the immobilisation of CBR (Central Bank of Russia) assets, would require unanimity by the Council and comply with the temporary and reversible nature of sanctions,” a spokesperson for the Commission said.

“It is now for member states to discuss these options. Subject to the outcome of the discussion, the HR (chief diplomat) and Commission stand ready to table proposals.” EU ambassadors discussed two options on Wednesday aimed at alleviating the concerns of G7 members. One would be an “open-ended” extension of the sanctions regime that immobilised Russia’s central bank assets.

Comments

Comments are closed.