(Adnkronos) – “The 16th package is on the table and we expect it to be adopted next week. This is crucial. We want the adoption to take place before the third anniversary of this brutal aggression against Ukraine” next February 24th. This was stated by the Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski during the closing press conference of the meeting of European finance ministers in Brussels. Next to him was the Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis, who stressed the need to extend the existing sanctions for another six months.
“We know that sanctions really work and we see more and more evidence that the Russian economy is not as strong as it would like to be perceived. We are seeing increasing signs of weakness and we believe this is largely due to the sanctions already applied,” Domanski said. “Obviously, every time we introduce a new package of sanctions, attempts emerge to circumvent them. This is why we need to act quickly and decisively to prevent avoidance mechanisms from developing,” he continues, stressing that the Polish Presidency of the EU has promised from the outset the utmost rigor on sanctions.
As for the 700 billion euro aid fund for Ukraine mentioned today by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, “it is still too early to say,” the Polish minister continues. For that, he explains, we have to wait for the proposal of the EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, expected in March.
