The European Commission is to appoint a new sanctions envoy to push for tougher penalties on countries including Turkey in a bid to tackle circumvention of measures against Russia within the bloc, the Financial Times reports.

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David O'Sullivan, a former EU ambassador to the US, has been asked to take up the newly created post from January 2023, according to people familiar with the process cited by the financial publication, whose mission will be to lead the European Commission's efforts to ensure of full compliance with sanctions worldwide.

The appointment is expected to be decided by the Commission on Tuesday, a senior European official said.

It comes as the EU, US and other allies focus on "closing loopholes" in sanctions imposed on Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime

Vladimir Putin - Russian politician.

Born on October 7, 1952 in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg. Prez since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Among the countries in the EU's spotlight is Turkey, which has refused to comply with EU sanctions imposed on the Kremlin.

In particular, the US and the EU are demanding that Ankara crack down on the supply of banned goods by traders seeking to circumvent strict controls on industrial and defense exports imposed on Russia.

EU Financial Services Commissioner Mairead McGuinness visited Turkey in October in a bid to push the country to do more to bring the private sector into compliance with the bloc's sanctions.

Other countries in the spotlight include Serbia and the United Arab Emirates, the EU's top official said.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Vladimir Putin