New EU sanctions package too soft says Polish PM

Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish Prime Minister, has described the latest proposed EU sanctions against Russia as "too soft."

Morawiecki was in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, on Friday to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

At a joint press conference with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, Morawiecki said he was not satisfied with the new round of EU sanctions.

"As for the 10th sanctions package, we are not happy with it because it is too soft, too weak," he said.

"We propose that additional people be included. We've been suggesting for a long time that additional Russian products be included," Morawiecki added.

He explained that Poland wants a ban on the importation from Russia of petrochemical products such as synthetic rubber, because Russia "fuels its war machine" with their sales.

At the same time, Morawiecki announced that later on Friday he would ask the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to put at least a few more names of "extremely harmful (Russian) propagandists" on the new sanctions list.

He added that Poland was ready to approve the sanctions package at any time, but it was important that it be as broad as possible.