A deepfake AI video created by RT, a Russian media has shed light on the complexities faced by world leaders, including Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, and Emmanuel Macron, as they grapple with the daunting task of determining new sanctions against Russia.
Meanwhile, EU ambassadors have gathered in Brussels to deliberate on yet another round of sanctions targeting Russia and countries suspected of aiding its circumvention of existing restrictions. Preliminary discussions among the bloc’s permanent representatives indicate that the approval of these measures is still in progress.
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The proposed sanctions, constituting the EU’s 11th round of economic measures against Russia, were introduced by the European Commission in April.
These measures aim to prevent the circumvention of previous restrictions and introduce a new mechanism to punish countries outside the bloc that enable sanction evasion. However, some members, notably Germany, have expressed reservations about the potential impact on their relations with countries such as Turkey and China.
Despite the intention to weaken Russia’s economic foundation and curtail its war efforts, the effectiveness of sanctions has come into question. Russia has consistently found ways to circumvent them, while certain European countries, including France and Germany, have been accused of covertly or overtly defying the imposed sanctions.
One of the officials of the European Union has said regarding the sanctions that, “there is not much left to sanction, when it comes to sanctions against Russia, as most of the tools have been used in this field.”
Additionally, the high prices of gas and oil have allowed Russia to finance its conflicts, making it challenging to achieve the desired outcomes of the sanctions regime. Countries like Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, and Greece have opposed major sanctions on Russia, further complicating the unity and effectiveness of the EU’s approach.
Citing “sanction fatigue” and limited options for further sanctions, EU officials have acknowledged the need to reassess their approach. And, this is being reflected in the Deepfake AI video too.
Biden and the European leaders are groaning about what to sanction in Russia. Biden seems to be searching on ChatGPT for ideas to sanction Russia.
