EU Tightens Noose on 'Russia Isolation'... Military Financial Support to Ukraine and Ban on Russian Aircraft

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] The European Union (EU) announced that it will support the supply of weapons to Ukraine in response to Russia's invasion and ban Russian airlines from operating in regional airspace.

According to The Guardian, CNN, and others, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said at a press conference on the 27th (local time), "The EU will fund the purchase and transportation of weapons and other equipment to the country under attack," adding, "This is the first time ever for the EU." Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, added that providing weapons in a war was almost taboo for the EU, and this has now been broken.

These sanctions are expected to be agreed upon at the EU Foreign Ministers' meeting on the same day. If approved unanimously, the European Commission will support the provision of weapons to Ukraine with a budget of 450 million euros (approximately 606 billion KRW). Additionally, 50 billion euros will be allocated for medical supplies.

Along with this, the EU will ban the operation of all aircraft owned or registered by Russia.

Commission President von der Leyen explained, "We will close EU airspace to Russians," and said, "We will propose a ban on all aircraft owned, registered, or controlled by Russia. These aircraft will no longer be able to take off, land, or fly over EU territory."

This applies to all planes owned, chartered, or controlled by Russian corporations or individuals. It also includes private jets of Russian oligarchs known to be funding the current war.

Furthermore, von der Leyen criticized state media such as Russia Today and Sputnik as "the Kremlin's media machine," announcing a ban, saying, "They will no longer be able to justify Russian President Vladimir Putin's war."

In the future, these sanctions will also apply to Belarus, which has supported Russia's war, and to Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko. Von der Leyen warned of export sanctions targeting mineral fuels, tobacco, and timber, stating, "We will hit the Lukashenko regime with a new sanctions package."

Earlier, the EU announced that it had agreed on sanctions excluding Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) payment system and banning transactions with the Russian central bank.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the French national airline Air France announced it would suspend operations on Russian routes and services. Air France will also temporarily suspend flights to South Korea, China, and Japan as it seeks alternative routes avoiding Russian airspace.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.