Mateusz Morawiecki made the appeal after Polish-Czech intergovernmental talks in Prague, Poland’s state news agency PAP reported.
‘Sanctions must target all aspects of Russian economy:’ Polish PM
At a joint news conference with his Czech counterpart Petr Fiala, the Polish PM said: ‘It’s important that our collective policy focuses on all the aspects of Russia’s economic life that can indeed be targeted by our sanctions.”
Morawiecki said that the EU should target “those assets that have been frozen.”
“We are urging the European Commission to work towards it,” he added.
The Polish PM also stressed that “oil is Russia’s absolutely number one source of income.”
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic’s Fiala said that without Warsaw’s and Prague’s insistence, the EU would not have adopted six rounds of sanctions against Russia.
“We spoke strongly in favour of putting pressure on Russia,” he stated.
Sixth round of EU sanctions against Russia
Earlier on Friday, the EU formally adopted its sixth round of sanctions against Moscow, after the bloc’s leaders negotiated them at the start of the week.
This package includes: a ban on imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products from Russia; a SWIFT ban for three more Russian banks and one more Belarusian bank; and suspension of broadcasting in the EU for three more Russian state-owned outlets.
Those EU member states, like Hungary, that, due to their geographical location, are dependent on Russian supplies and have no viable alternatives, are temporarily allowed to import Russian crude oil by pipeline.
Moreover, Bulgaria and Croatia have also been granted temporary exemptions and can import Russian seaborne crude oil and vacuum gas oil, respectively.
The EU also slapped sanctions on 65 more individuals and 18 more entities. Among them are individuals responsible for the atrocities committed in the Ukrainian towns of Bucha and Mariupol, officials told reporters.
Polish-Czech intergovernmental talks
Led by Morawiecki and Fiala, the Polish and Czech governments on Friday held wide-ranging discussions on a number of policy areas, reporters were told.
Ministers signed bilateral agreements on defence cooperation and on developing new transport links, notably between the Czech Republic and Polish sea ports, officials said.
The Polish PM also declared that Warsaw would work with Prague on a new gas link, Stork II, to make the Czech Republic independent from Russian supplies, the PAP news agency reported.
Friday was day 100 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pm)
Source: PAP, gov.pl, consilium.europa.eu