Paris, Sept 13: France and the UK have announced fresh sanctions targeting Russia’s oil revenues and war machine as Europe’s first steps to counter Russia’s drone incursion into Poland.France will deploy three advanced Rafale fighter jets to protect Poland’s airspace and NATO’s eastern flank, fulfilling a commitment made to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The deployment was discussed with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Britain’s new sanctions include bans on 70 vessels that the UK says are part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” transporting Russian oil in defiance of existing sanctions.
Some 30 individuals and companies, including Chinese and Turkey-based firms, have also been sanctioned for their part in supplying Russia with electronics, chemicals, explosives, and other weapons components.
The new sanctions came as British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper made her first trip to Kyiv, expressing solidarity with Ukraine, which faces a tenfold missile and drone Russian assault from a year ago.
Cooper emphasized the importance of international action to increase economic pressure on Russia and cut off critical cash flows needed to pay for this illegal war.
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski and Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha were also visiting Kyiv to discuss shared security, Ukraine’s EU and NATO accession, and pressure on Moscow.
Poland’s Defence Ministry said it would work with Ukraine to train personnel on anti-drone defense.
Europe’s leaders saw the multiple Russian drone strikes on Polish soil as a deliberate provocation and forced them to confront fears that Russia’s three-year war on Ukraine could precipitate a wider conflict.
US-led efforts to steer Moscow and Kyiv toward a peace settlement have so far failed.