Europe is Leading Offensively to Alleviate US Sanctions against Russia. Several European countries are trying to convince the United States to mitigate the sanctions that were taken two weeks ago against Russia. In particular, the measures against aluminum producer Rusal are also threatening to hit the European economy hard. That writes the British newspaper Financial Times and EYE News.
The United States announced on April 6 new sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs and a dozen prominent Russian companies. Washington defends the strict measures by referring to Russian cyber activities and other forms of interference in the West. Especially the sanctions against Rusal, the largest aluminum producer in the world outside of China, did not miss their impact: the company plummeted at the stock exchange and the price of aluminum rose worldwide.
Europe is now pulling the emergency brake. France, Germany, Great Britain and Italy want to make a joint plea in Washington to weaken the sanctions. The supply of aluminum is faltering and puts the whole chain in such great danger that several large production sites with closure are threatened, it says.
It is also not imaginary that companies that process a lot of aluminum or aluminum oxide, such as Airbus, BMW and Volkswagen, will have to reduce their production. ‘There is a risk of bottlenecks in the supply of aluminum and alumina and to price rises’, warned the German sector organization WVMetalle this week. It requires ‘a quick political solution and exceptions for European importers’.
In the coming week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron will visit US President Donald Trump. The meetings are part of the diplomatic efforts to improve the rigid transatlantic relations. The sanctions against Russia – Europe also recently declared diplomats – will undoubtedly be reviewed.