The European Union has eased sanctions on Russian coal, Russia's most prominent energy resource, after a European ban on these supplies was imposed earlier this year 2022.
The European Union announced the easing of sanctions imposed on Russian coal, allowing supplies to be transferred to other countries around the world. The European Commission stated that the transport of goods, including coal, should be allowed in order to combat food and energy insecurity around the world.
The Russian newspaper Izvestia commented on the decision, saying that although the relevant European Commission document only refers to permission to transport coal, the Europeans will most likely facilitate access to the resource for their companies.
She added that this step is expected due to the rise in prices of all types of fuel and the restart of coal-fired thermal power plants in Europe, which has led to a rise in demand for coal.
The Russian newspaper stressed that it is very difficult to completely replace Russian coal due to its high calorific value and the ease of shipping it from Russia.
Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia, after Moscow launched the special military operation in Ukraine, affecting various economic sectors, companies and individuals, as well as coal exports.