According to EU diplomatic sources, the 19th package against Russia of sanctions will include four companies that are involved in China's petroleum industry and circumvent Western restrictions.

The package, they said, lists two independent Chinese oil refining companies as well as a Chinese trading company and a circumvention entity. They said the latter was mainly involved in other sectors than oil. Sources declined to give further details.

The final text has been approved by the member states, but has yet to be adopted due to reservations made by Slovakia about unrelated issues. Sanctions must be approved by unanimity.

EU diplomats are expecting the package to be adopted by the end of the week. The package was first proposed about a month ago.

Since the summer, the EU has been looking at Chinese refineries to buy Russian crude from Moscow’s shadow fleet. The EU, along with the other members of the Group of Seven nations (G7), is trying to drain Russia of its means of funding.

war in Ukraine

Meanwhile, non-EU

Britain

Last week, the United States listed as sanctioned Rosneft (the largest Russian oil company) and Lukoil along with a Chinese refinery, and several Chinese ports. (Reporting and editing by Hugh Lawson, Mark Heinrich, and Julia Payne)

(source: Reuters)