PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that the European Commission was readying a new package of sanctions against Russia “in the coming days” in cooperation with the United States.
Macron said this next package of sanctions would target “financial services, and oil, on secondary sellers” if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire during a major prime-time interview on French television.
The French president’s comments come after he and the leaders of Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland were on Saturday in Kyiv to show their support for the Ukraine. During the visit, the leaders floated taking new sanctions against Moscow.
“Our will is to take sanctions,” said Macron. “The European Commission is in conversation with the U.S. administration.”
Macron also addressed the issue of seizing the €200 billion of Russian assets held in Brussels-based financial institution Euroclear that were frozen after the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
While France has reportedly warmed to the idea, the French president also said he was not in favor of seizing frozen the assets.
“Today we do not have a legal framework” to do so, he said.
This developing story is being updated.
