Germany and France fight for Putin oligarchs to get gorgeous cars - Politico

According to EU diplomats, the opposition by Berlin and Paris forced the EU countries to think about whether to share a 14th package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus. Germany opposes the efforts of the European Union to close a loophole that allows high -end goods, including luxurious cars, to enter Russia through Belarus. France is the same. EU diplomats were told in an interview with Politico.

According to three diplomats, the opposition by Berlin and Paris forced the EU countries to think about whether to divide the 14th package of sanctions against Russia and similar measures against Belarus to have time to make an agreement to the annual G7 summit, which will take place in Italy 13-15 June. This would allow the EU to move forward with major gas sanctions, while stopping the fight for sanctions against Belarus.

The EU hit Belarus with sanctions before Moscow invaded Ukraine, punishing Minsk for the falsified presidential elections in 2020. But sanctions against Minsk are not as far as far as those that were imposed against Moscow, which allowed Belarus to become a transplant for sanctions that get to Russia. Two countries have a common customs union and are closely integrated.

"If we take weak measures for Belarus, knowing that the goods are getting to Moscow through Minsk, it will be a little funny," said one of EU diplomats Politico. Journalists noted that the import of cars from the EU to Belarus in 2023 increased to $ 2. 6 billion, which is more than four times more than 2021. "The most relative growth researchers observed in the sector of luxurious cars, which had two thirds of a total increase in imports of $ 1. 4 billion.

Due re -export to Russia, "the material reads. The French diplomat emphasized that Paris stands for "strong sanctions against sanctions", but said that the focus should be focused on "goods that serve as Russian military efforts. " In a similar key, the German diplomat emphasized that "Germany supports strong measures against bypassing sanctions, but the focus should be focused on goods related to the Russian aggressive war.

" Opponents of the sale of luxury goods to Russia deny that President Vladimir Putin wants to keep his elite on his side - and maintain his own position in the Kremlin - precisely by providing his main allies with exquisite food and high -class foods. We will remind, on June 6, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the transfer of Miraage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine, as well as training 4,500 Ukrainian military.