Sources indicate that the EU's new Russia sanctions may target steel, luxury goods, jet fuel, and other items.

• Despite mounting evidence of war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, the bloc remains divided over whether to extend sanctions to energy imports.
• The debate within the EU about imposing an immediate ban on Russian gas, oil, or coal has been intense since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
• Some EU countries support banning Russian energy, while others argue that they are too dependent on it and would harm their own economies more than Russia's.

CNBC reports that the European Union is considering imposing new sanctions on Russia, which may limit the leasing of airplanes and restrict the import and export of products such as jet fuel, steel, and luxury goods, according to two sources familiar with the discussions.

Despite mounting evidence of possible war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, the bloc remains divided over whether to extend those sanctions to energy imports.

The Ukrainian prosecutor has stated that 410 bodies were discovered in towns liberated from Russian forces near Kyiv, prompting international media to report on the mass killings of civilians in Bucha, a city near Kyiv that was recently under Russian occupation.

The European Union is currently working on a fifth package of sanctions against Russia in response to its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. This new round of measures is expected to be approved later this week.

According to two unnamed EU officials, a proposed sanctions package against Russia includes airplane leasing, steel products, luxury goods, and jet fuel. However, the package is still being finalized and may change as negotiations continue before a crucial meeting of EU ambassadors on Wednesday.

One official remarked that "evidently, a significant element is absent" in relation to the absence of measures regarding the Russian energy sector.

The debate within the EU regarding an immediate ban on Russian gas, oil, or coal has been intense since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. While some countries support banning Russian energy, other EU nations argue that they are too dependent on Russian energy and it would harm their own economies more than Russia's.

On Monday, France's president, Emmanuel Macron, stated that the EU should impose restrictions on Russian oil and coal in response to the atrocities reported in Bucha. For instance, Poland has already declared that it will cease imports of Russian coal.

A significant number of EU countries remain opposed to imposing any energy sanctions.

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner stated on Monday in Luxembourg that the European Union and Germany aim to reduce their reliance on Russian energy imports in the near future, and Germany will support additional sanctions on Russia to achieve this goal.

"Putin needs more pressure and Russia must be isolated, but cutting off gas supplies is currently impossible," he stated.

When asked if the EU should move ahead with sanctions on oil and gas, as suggested by Macron, Lindner responded, "No speculation from me."

His Austrian counterpart was also against imposing a ban on Russian gas.

Austria opposes additional sanctions on gas because we are heavily reliant on Russian gas and believe that any sanctions that disproportionately affect us would not be beneficial. This is why we are against oil and gas sanctions, as expressed by Magnus Brunner, Austria's finance minister, in a CNBC interview.

In 2020, Eurostat reports that Austria imported nearly 59% of its natural gas from Russia, while Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Hungary imported an even higher percentage of their natural gas from Russia.

Earlier Monday, a representative from the European Commission stated that the procedure for imposing fresh sanctions was kept secret.

“We never comment on ongoing processes,” the spokesperson added.

The European Commission, as the executive arm of the EU, proposes sanctions in discussions with the 27 member states. Subsequently, it is the responsibility of these nations to approve the measures. For any new sanctions to be implemented, there must be unanimous agreement among the member states.