As part of EU sanctions, the Bulgarian authorities imposed a ban on entry into their ports for ships from Russia, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Sunday.
“All ships flying the Russian flag, as well as ships that changed the Russian flag or registration to any other state after February 24, are denied access to the sea and river ports of Bulgaria,” AP quotes excerpts from a statement by the Bulgarian Maritime Administration.
AP specifies that the Bulgarian authorities will make an exception for ships in distress or in need of humanitarian assistance, as well as ships carrying energy, food and medicine to the EU.
On the eve it became known about a similar order of the Italian authorities. At the same time, Russian cargo ships, which are currently in Italy, were ordered by the authorities to go to sea as soon as they complete their current operations.
Earlier in April, the EU introduced another package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, ordering, in particular, to close ports for ships from Russia. At the same time, exceptions are provided for the transportation of a number of goods, for example, energy carriers, agricultural products.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a conversation with Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson.
“I spoke with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson. He spoke about the critical situation in Mariupol. We discussed defense support for Ukraine, strengthening anti-Russian sanctions. I thanked for supporting Ukraine’s accession to the EU,” Zelensky wrote on Twitter.
The US authorities believe that they have already introduced the bulk of the sanctions against the Russian Federation, and now it is necessary to achieve their implementation, Jake Sullivan, US presidential adviser on national security, said on Thursday.
“We believe that we have adopted the main sanctions, and in the coming days we will focus our attention on trying to avoid their action,” Sullivan was quoted by Western media as saying at the Economic Club forum in Washington.
According to him, in the coming two weeks, the US administration will announce measures to identify those who help the Russian Federation to circumvent the sanctions imposed because of the full-scale war unleashed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and because of the aggression of Russian troops shocking the world.
“I think that in the next one or two weeks we will announce those who contribute to the circumvention of sanctions both in Russia and abroad,” the adviser stressed.
Global demand for steel in 2022 will increase by only 0.4% and amount to 1.84 billion tons (1.834 billion tons in 2021), the World Steel Association predicts.
In 2023, according to WSA expectations, steel demand will increase by 2.2%, to 1.881 billion tons.
The total demand for steel in the Russian Federation, CIS countries and Ukraine this year, according to WSA forecasts, will fall by 23.6% to 44.6 million tons (58.5 million tons in 2021). In 2023, an increase of 1.1% is expected, to 45.1 million tons. At the same time, steel consumption in Russia will fall by 20%, to 35.1 million tons against 43.9 million tons in 2021.
CIS COUNTRIES, DEMAND, RUSSIA, STEEL, WORLD STEEL ASSOCIATION
Finland is ready to tighten sanctions against the Russian Federation in connection with the aggression against Ukraine, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said in an interview with Yle Ykkösaamu.
“Every day people die in Ukraine. We have to make the war stop. We have to be prepared to be flexible in our own daily lives,” she said.
“Finland supports tougher sanctions, including those covering energy policy,” she explained, adding that rising energy prices would not deter sanctions.
“45 days of war is 45 days more than necessary. Russia is waging a dishonorable war, cruel and inhumane, and it must stop,” Marin said.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine supported a decision to impose a complete embargo on imports of goods from the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economy said on Sunday, citing First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko.
“Such a decisive step by Ukraine can serve as an example for our Western partners and will encourage them to increase sanctions against Russia. Including the energy embargo and the isolation of all Russian banks,” she is quoted as saying.
According to the Ministry of Economy, the embargo on Russian imports will block foreign exchange earnings in the Russian Federation by $6 billion annually.
As reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on April 6 instructed the government to formalize the termination of trade between Ukraine and Russia.
According to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, last year the trade turnover between the countries increased by 38.7%, to $10.09 billion from $7.28 billion.
In particular, imports increased by 45.9%, to $6.65 billion from $4.56 billion, while exports – by 26.5%, to $3.44 billion from $2.71 billion.
According to the State Statistics Service, imports from the Russian Federation to Ukraine increased last year by 33.9%, to $6.08 billion, while exports to the Russian Federation increased by 26.2%, to $3.41 billion.
The main import items from the Russian Federation last year were oil and oil products – $3.43 billion (an increase of 33.5%), engineering products – $418.3 million (21.7% up), plastics and polymeric materials – $351.6 million (61.7% up), ferrous metals – $301 million (64.7% up), products of inorganic chemistry – $161.6 million (83.6% up), aluminum and aluminum products– $137.6 million (54.5% up), rubber – $126.4 million (34.8% up), glass and glass products – $115 million (65.7% up), and various chemical products – $99.1 million (85.6% up).
This list also includes nickel and nickel products – $94.1 million (83.3% up), means of land transport (except railway) – $84.5 million (56.3% up), electric machines – $81.7 million (28.4% up), ferrous metal products – $73.5 million (58.3% up), organic chemical compounds – $70.2 million (19.5% up), cardboard and paper – $59.3 million (38.2% less), and essential oils – $53.4 million (9.2% up).
In the overall structure of Ukraine’s imports, Russia accounted for 8.4%, exports – 5%.
