EU drops Russian company from draft 22nd sanctions package at Estonia's request
In short
A Russian company and an individual linked to it have been excluded from the draft of the EU's 22nd sanctions package against Russia at Estonia's request, RBC and Kommersant reported. Kerstin Lepik (Керстин Лепик), press secretary of Estonia's representation in Brussels, said the company supplies an Estonian plant with materials of strategic importance for Europe; Kommersant said it supplies rare-earth metals.
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A Russian company and an individual linked to it have been excluded from the draft of the European Union's 22nd package of sanctions against Russia at Estonia's request, RBC reported. Kommersant reported that the EU excluded the company and the individual from the package, and RIA Novosti, citing media, reported that the company had been removed from the draft. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Kerstin Lepik (Керстин Лепик), press secretary of Estonia's representation in Brussels, told ERR that the company supplies an Estonian plant with materials "of strategic importance for Europe", according to TASS and Kommersant. Kommersant reported that the company supplies rare-earth metals to the Estonian enterprise. TASS reported that Estonia asked the EU to exclude one Russian company and an individual linked to it. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The reports describe an EU member state asking for a Russian supplier to be left out of a new sanctions package on the grounds that its materials are of strategic importance for Europe. The documents do not say how the exclusion affects the rest of the package.
Key facts
- Estonia asked the EU to exclude a Russian company from its 22nd package of sanctions against Russia. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The request also covered an individual linked to the company. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- RBC and Kommersant reported that the company and the individual were excluded; RBC said they were removed from the draft package. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Kerstin Lepik, press secretary of Estonia's representation in Brussels, gave the details. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Lepik said the company supplies an Estonian plant with materials "of strategic importance for Europe". [ 1 ]
- Kommersant reported that the company supplies rare-earth metals to an Estonian enterprise. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Estonia asked for a Russian company to be excluded from the EU's 22nd sanctions package against Russia. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The request also covered an individual linked to the company. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The Russian company was excluded from the package at Estonia's request. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The information came from Kerstin Lepik, press secretary of Estonia's representation in Brussels. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- The names of the Russian company, the linked individual and the Estonian plant. None of the reports names them.
- That the company supplies rare-earth metals. Only Kommersant reports this; TASS says only that it supplies materials of strategic importance for Europe.
- Whether the exclusion is final. TASS reports describe Estonia's request, while RBC and RIA Novosti say the company was removed from the draft package; the reports do not say whether the package has been adopted.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports, citing ERR, that Estonia asked for a Russian firm to be excluded from the 22nd sanctions package. [ 1 ]
- RBC reports the company and a linked individual were excluded from the draft package at Estonia's request. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reports the company supplies rare-earth metals to an Estonian enterprise. [ 3 ]
- TASS publishes a summary of Estonia's request for the exclusions. [ 4 ]
- RIA Novosti, citing media, reports the company was removed from the draft sanctions package. [ 5 ]