European countries indirectly export to Russia amid rising sanctions

In Prague, Karel Svoboda from the Institute of International Studies at Charles University addressed the ongoing issue of European countries indirectly exporting goods to Russia. He emphasized that this trend isn't confined to specific nations, such as the Czech Republic or Germany, but rather encompasses nearly all of Europe. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there has been a notable increase in exports to Turkey and Central Asian states, regions being leveraged as transit points for goods destined for Russia. The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) in the Czech Republic has confirmed it is investigating reports regarding companies allegedly circumventing sanctions by supplying machinery to Russia for weapon production. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky raised concerns about the involvement of 13 German and eight Czech companies, although he did not publicly identify these entities. The MPO is now tasked with understanding the full scope of this issue and potentially identifying those companies involved in such trade practices. Svoboda highlighted that goods are frequently rerouted through nearby countries, which allows exporters to bypass direct sanctions aimed at Russia. He believes companies should be more diligent in tracking their products' final destinations, especially in the current geopolitical climate.