Report: EU can include energy, Sberbank in 6th sanctions package

MOSCOW/ROME/CHISINAU/BRUSSELS/BERLIN, Apr 18 (PRIME) -- The E.U. continues to consider sanctions against the Russian energy sector in a potential sixth package that will also target banks, including Sberbank, head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen told  newspaper Bild am Sonntag on April 17. 

"We continue to consider the banking industry, in particular, Sberbank, occupying 37% of the Russian banking sector. And we surely are discussing the energy issues," the official said.

She added that the E.U. is considering smart mechanisms to affect the Russian oil industry at the next stage of the sanctions.

In the framework of earlier sanctions, Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria and Romania prohibited Russian ships from entering their ports from April 17.

Estonia's Defense Minister Kalle Laanet told newspaper Handelsblatt that the earlier economic sanctions against Russia did not demonstrate the desired result.

"We need time for the sanctions to work. Quite a short period has passed, this is why we do not see the desired outcome. But we may toughen sanctions, for instance, boycott oil and gas," the minister said.

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