EU drawing up new sanctions on countries for helping Russia buy washing machines to repair tanks

The Telegraph reported the information.

Officials responsible for monitoring Russian trade routes have noticed a significant increase in trade in certain goods between the EU and Moscow's allies in Central Asia. In recent months, the activity of using new routes has increased by 60 to 80%. 

The increase concerns trade in "potentially dual-use" goods, namely household appliances that Russia can use to repair its tanks, armored personnel carriers, and drones damaged in the war with Ukraine. In particular, Moscow can extract chips from cars, washing machines, and cameras. 

In a confidential document obtained by the Telegraph, European capitals are discussing plans to strike countries that help Moscow evade punitive measures through trade sanctions. Among them are Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. 

"We should give a strong signal to persons and entities in third states. The provision of material support to Russia’s military and defence industrial base will have severe consequences regarding their access to the EU market," the confidential document says.

If relevant evidence is found, the EU may restrict access to the European market for any country that helps Russia. 

• Bloomberg reported that Russia has been circumventing Western sanctions and obtaining electronics important to the war through third countries, including Turkey, Kazakhstan, and the United Arab Emirates.

• On March 4, US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed their readiness to continue the sanctions policy against Russia.