PlayStation and Xbox: EU plans to ban the supply of gaming consoles to Russia.

The European Union plans to ban the supply of gaming consoles to Russia due to their use by armed forces to control drones. The EU's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, noted that these restrictions are related to the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Consoles, including PlayStation from Sony and Xbox from Microsoft, will fall under new sanctions.

Borrell stated that the EU is considering all possible options that could affect the situation in Ukraine. He pointed out that Russia is using consoles to control drones. Since the beginning of March this year, major manufacturers of gaming consoles have ceased sales in Russia. The EU ban is aimed at console traders who export them to the Russian Federation.

Meanwhile, China is the main supplier of gaming consoles to Russia. Last year, China sold equipment to Moscow worth over $120 million, significantly exceeding sales volumes in 2022. Borrell also mentioned that chemicals for the military industry and restrictions on imports of liquefied natural gas will also be on the sanctions list.

Restrictions on Aluminum

Furthermore, the proposed package of sanctions may include restrictions on the import of Russian aluminum. According to Trade Data Monitor, the EU imported over 130 thousand tons of aluminum from Russia, accounting for about 6% of total import volumes.