OREANDA-NEWS. The first EU sanctions against the Russian Federation because of Ukraine were prepared with minimal damage to Europe. This was stated in an interview with the newspaper la Repubblica by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel.

“We calibrated the first sanctions so that they were more painful for (the Russian authorities - Ed.) <...> and less effective for us. We must continue our pressure to change the balance of power. We have other additional sanctions in reserve,” he said.

At the same time, Michel did not specify what new restrictions are under consideration by the EU, but noted that "until now" Europe has been able to "catch" Moscow by surprise.

“We hope to continue this. We have decided that national issues such as energy and defense will be dealt with in the spirit of European sovereignty,” he added.

Secretary of State at the French Foreign Ministry Clement Bon, in turn, said that the European Union intends to discuss the possibility of introducing a ban on the import of steel and aluminum from Russia, TASS reports.

Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the European Union is ready to take new sanctions against Russia. He noted that France, together with Germany, will continue the path of pressure on Russia and "demanding dialogue" with Moscow. According to him, Europe aims to restore peace in Ukraine, which should begin with a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.