MOSCOW, February 23. /TASS/. The ruble is weakening against the dollar and the euro on the Moscow Exchange on Wednesday. As of 16:00 Moscow time, the dollar exchange reached 80.33 rubles (+1.94%), the euro rose to 91.04 rubles (+1.78%).
As of 15:41 Moscow time, the dollar exceeded 80 rubles, trading at 80.08 rubles (+1.62%), the euro reached 90.79 rubles (+1.5%).
The price of April futures contract for Brent crude oil on London’s ICE exchange increased by 0.04% to $96.88 per barrel. WTI futures fell by 0.07% to $91.85 per barrel.
Earlier all countries - members of the European Union reached a unanimous decision to adopt a package of sanctions against Russia. According to High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, the new package includes sanctions against 351 State Duma deputies who voted for the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR). In addition, the EU blacklisted 27 individuals and legal entities, including banks and organizations that finance Russia's operations in Donbass. The EU also banned its business relations with the LPR and DPR and decided to restrict Russia's access to the financial and capital markets.
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees at the ceremony in the Kremlin on recognizing the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Putin met with DPR and LPR leaders, Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, and signed with them the treaties on friendship, cooperation, and mutual aid between Russia and both republics.