MOSCOW, August 29. /TASS/. A 19th package of anti-Russian sanctions is seen deepening the rift within the EU, and the Israeli military conducted its first landing raid near the Syrian capital. Meanwhile, Russia announced sinking a Ukrainian naval ship with an uncrewed boat for the first time. These stories topped Friday's newspaper headlines in Russia.
The effect of the latest 19th package of the EU’s sanctions on Russia will be limited, experts interviewed by Izvestia say. Moreover, it may further widen divisions among Europeans amid threats to impose secondary sanctions, with several countries beyond Hungary and Slovakia opposing them. North Macedonia, for example, is dissatisfied that, despite its limited funds, it continues to spend money on Ukraine, the republic’s parliament told Izvestia. The EU’s foreign and defense ministers are set to meet in Copenhagen and Brussels on August 28-30 to discuss intensifying pressure on Russia. Their agenda will also cover new restrictions and security guarantees for Ukraine.
The earlier packages of EU sanctions have already hurt countries inside the bloc. Germany, traditionally seen as the engine of the European economy, has experienced a 31% surge in electricity prices since 2021 due to its refusal to import Russian energy, Handelsblatt cited an analysis by Verivox as saying.
