EU concerned as goods 'made in India' flood Euro market

The EU voiced concerns over "rapid" rise in refined petroleum products made from Russian crude oil in India finding way to the European market, saying it defies the purpose of the economic sanctions against Moscow that are aimed at reducing its ability to finance the war on Ukraine. 

The European Union's Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, said oil products processed from Russian crude oil are arriving at the European market in "large quantities" and the grouping is looking at ways to deal with it. In an interaction with a small group of journalists, the EU Vice President, currently on a visit to India, accused Russia of using its energy supplies, and food as "tools" of "war and manipulation" to continue its attack on Ukraine. On the issue of food, Dombrovskis cited Russia withdrawing from the Black Sea grain initiative and blocking Ukraine's export of food grain to the world market. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year, the Western powers have imposed a series of sanctions on Moscow including a price cap on Russian oil by G7-plus nations, in order to reduce its ability to finance the war on Ukraine.