EU to monitor imports of sanctioned goods to Russia through third countries - EU Sanctions Envoy

The European Union will constantly monitor the trade statistics of countries that may re-export sanctioned goods to Russia.

EU Sanctions Envoy David O'Sullivan said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

According to him, the priority is goods that can be used for military application.

"These go beyond the traditional definition of dual-use goods used in civilian and military, but they are goods which, indeed, your government has recently highlighted as those which can be included in missiles and drones," O'Sullivan said.

According to the special representative, he has traveled to countries from which these goods could be re-exported to Russia and met with a "positive response".

O'Sullivan noted that these countries do not want to be seen as platforms for circumventing sanctions, because "they do not want to be responsible for exporting goods which potentially kill Ukrainians".

The EU, according to the special representative, has received clear commitments from these countries, so now they will monitor trade data.

"Is the task we're going to have to do now every day, every week and every month going forward: checking the statistics, seeing where this parallel trade or this re-export of sanctioned goods may be happening, and try to get it stopped," the diplomat said.

As reported, according to Politico, Georgia, Armenia, and Kazakhstan are actively helping Russia circumvent Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.