EU Sanctions PMC Wagner for Interfering in Mali’s Transition

The decision on sanctions against the Wagner company for impeding Mali's democratic transition was approved without any discussion at Brussels' meeting. They will be effective after being publicized in the Official Journal of the European Union.

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The individuals listed on the sanctions will be prohibited from using the European Union banking systems and legal entities from making borrowings in the EU countries. They won't be allowed entrance to countries of the EU either.
 
"The Council today amended its sanctions' regime in view of the situation in Mali, establishing new criteria that will allow the EU to autonomously impose restrictive measures on individuals and entities responsible for threatening the peace, security or stability of Mali, or for obstructing the implementation of its political transition," the EU Council declared in a statement on Monday.

The sanctions had been previously agreed by the 27 representatives of the member countries of the EU, on December 8. France is the leading architect of the sanctions since its concerned about losing its foothold in Mali.

France's authorities have criticized the possible deployment of employees of the PMC Wagner to Mali, stating that its activity was incompatible with France's further military presence.

After his trip to New York for the 76th UN General Assembly, Sergey Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister, declared on a news conference session that Mali's authorities asked assistance in the struggle against terrorism to a private military company from Russia. He highlighted that Moscow had no part in that deal.