The EU imposes the 13th round of sanctions on Russia: focusing on the aluminum industry

After the EU recently announced that it would impose an embargo on the Russian aluminum industry as part of the 13th round of sanctions, significant fluctuations have occurred in the global market. This move marks that the EU has taken more severe measures in its economic sanctions against Russia.

Last December, the Council of the European Union had already approved the 12th round of sanctions against Russia, including banning the import, purchase, or transfer of Russian diamonds, copper wire, aluminum wire, liquefied propane, and other commodities. However, the latest sanction measure directly targets the Russian aluminum industry exports, which is an important part of the Russian economy.

Affected by the news of sanctions, the aluminum 3M contract on the London Metal Exchange (LME) rose significantly on the 23rd, with an increase of more than 3% at one point. At the same time, the domestic market in China was also affected. The relevant contracts of Shanghai aluminum and alumina futures rose rapidly after the opening of the trading day. The main contract 2402 of alumina futures even increased by more than 2.08%.

According to the analysis of reports cited by the media, the biggest challenge faced by the EU is to find effective sanction targets. Due to the inconsistent positions among member states, the Russian nuclear energy and liquefied natural gas (LNG) sectors have not been restricted yet. The sanctions against the aluminum industry not only directly affect Russias export revenue but also indirectly put pressure on its energy sector. Aluminum smelting is an energy - intensive industry that requires a large amount of electricity support.

The implementation of this series of sanction measures not only affects the Russian economy but also brings uncertainty to the global aluminum market. Aluminum is a widely used metal in the manufacturing industry. Almost every industry, from automobiles to mobile phones, depends on aluminum. Therefore, the sanctions against the Russian aluminum industry may lead to further tightening of the global supply chain.

In addition, the EUs sanction decision also reflects the complexity of its handling of relations with Russia. On the one hand, the EU needs to take a firm stance against Russias actions; on the other hand, it must also consider the economic interests and differences in positions among member states.