The Kulevi oil refinery is included in the 21st package of EU sanctions against Russia, according to the statement of the European Council.

The sanctions against the Kulevi refinery are part of the 21st package of sanctions against Russia.

The EU is introducing a transaction ban against the Georgian oil refinery, which will enter into force in 6 months.

“Furthermore, the EU is targeting the oil sector, in particular refineries. It is designating 18 entities and 1 individual in the oil sector, including 3 refineries in Russia, a major Belarusian oil refinery, as well as a company created to sell Belarusian petroleum products within Russia.

In addition, the package creates the possibility to prohibit transactions with listed refineries in Russia and in third countries which process or refine Russian crude oil and petroleum products. In that framework, the EU is imposing a transaction ban – entering into force in six months - on a Georgian refinery trading and processing Russian oil in Kulevi. Furthermore, the EU added five oil traders to the entities subject to transaction ban for frustrating the prohibition on purchasing Russian crude oil and petroleum products”, reads the statement.