EU closes loophole allowing multimillion-euro arms sales to Russia
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has closed a loophole that allowed EU governments to export weapons worth tens of millions of euros to Russia last year alone despite an embargo which took effect in 2014 after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea region.
EU countries last year sold to Russia weapons and ammunition worth 39 million euros ($42.3 million), according to the latest data made available by the EU Commission - up more than 50% from 2020, when sales were worth 25 million euros, a volume in line with previous years.
The EU had banned the export of arms to Moscow in July 2014 in reaction to Russia's annexation of Crimea, but a clause in the sanctions permitted sales under contracts signed before August 2014.
Countries with large defence industries, such as France and Germany, were among the largest exporters.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/eu-closes-loophole-allowing-multimillion-euro-arms-sales-to-russia/ar-AAWdaI1
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