EU agrees to impose sanctions on Russia, Belarus

Any road haulage company in Russia and Belarus is not allowed to operate within the European Union, including transit. The sanctions impose import restrictions on certain goods exported from or originating in Russia, including coal and other solid fossil fuels.

Minister of Transport T lis Linkaits is pleased that the EU Member States have finally been able to reach an agreement, because of the fact that Latvia is one of the initiators of the adoption of this sanctions package. The Minister of Transport said that Latvia is ready to implement the restrictions on the transportation of cargo from Russia and Belarus by road and sea, as well as the closure of Latvian ports to Russian ships.

The Minister calls on Latvian carriers to follow the decisions in this area and return vehicles in Russia and Belarus to the EU Member States, taking into account the possible steps of the response.

With a united and firm response from the EU by imposing new sanctions, we can put enough pressure on Russia and reach tangible results in the fight for democracy and freedom in Ukraine, said Minister of Transport T lis Linkaits.

Some exceptions will cover essential goods such as agricultural and food products, humanitarian aid and postal services.

The sanctions were already adopted in the fifth package of sanctions in response to the regime of President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and its brutal aggression in Ukraine. The decision will be entered into force on the day after it is published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Within seven days of the publication of the decision, the requirements for ports and road transport must be implemented.