EU could threaten to sanction washing machine trade helping Russia fix its army

The European Union could slap trade restrictions on countries helping Russia acquire washing machines and used cars to repair its battle-stricken fleet of tanks.

Officials monitoring trade flows to Moscow have noticed a significant uptake in the trade of consumer goods between the bloc and the Kremlin’s traditional allies in central Asia, according to the Telegraph.

It is feared that the new routes, which have jumped up in activity between 60 and 80 per cent, are being used by Russia to circumvent the implementation of Western sanctions designed to cripple its war machine.

European capitals are discussing plans to hit countries involved in helping Moscow dodge the punitive measures with trade sanctions.

Kazakhstan, one of Moscow's closest partners in the region, has already promised to monitor goods that pass through the country.

The country's trade with Russia surged last year as sanctions hindered Moscow's access to Western markets.
Kazakh officials have promised to publish "real-time tracking of the entire chain of movement of goods from border to border".

"We understand all the risks of secondary sanctions, so we closely monitor our mutual trade with all partners," a Kazakh official told the FT.

Türkiye, Armenia, and the UAE are also being carefully watched by G7 diplomats for potential help being offered to Russia's war machine.