On Monday, the European Union agreed to impose sanctions on Russian officials after the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny with a nerve agent known as Novichok. The sanctions will target entities that were allegedly involved in the poisoning, however, officials stated that the move will likely not undercut Europe’s relationships with Vladimir Putin despite their close ties to the Kremlin. Foreign ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss a proposed travel ban and asset freeze, however, the final list of recipients has not been finalized.
Diplomats in France and Germany stated that there was a list of between six and eight people connected to the Kremlin or poisoning, and at least one entity proposed as sanctions targets. The bloc also separately agreed to impose new sanctions on Belarus officials such as Alexander Lukashenko, over the repression of protestors and restriction of freedoms.
Read More: EU to Sanction Russia Over Poisoning and Belarus Leader Over Crackdown