EU leaders backed a far-reaching package of sanctions targeting Russia on Thursday night following President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, as the bloc faces the biggest security threat in Europe since the second world war.
The proposals would freeze some transactions with a wide range of Russian banks, bar a number of state-owned companies from launching new listings on stock exchanges in the bloc and stop Russian nationals from making big deposits in EU banks.
The measures would also ban sales of aircraft and jet parts to Russia, block the sale of equipment needed to upgrade oil refineries and suspend visa-free travel for Russian diplomatic passports holders.