The European Union unveiled a fourth package of sanctions on Tuesday intended to “cripple Russia’s ability to finance its invasion of Ukraine ” and further isolate it from the international community. Among the measures adopted by Brussels were an import ban on some Russian steel products worth €3.3 billion (US$3.6 billion) a year, and an export ban on European luxury goods including caviar, cigars, some wines, cigars, diamonds and cars designed to “directly hit” Russian elites. The list of sanctioned individuals was expanded too, with the notable addition of Roman Abramovich , the oligarch owner of Chelsea Football Club who was sanctioned by the British government last week. There will be further bans on transactions with Russian state-owned enterprises and a ban on European agencies giving Russian clients or firms a credit rating. A “far-reaching” new ban will restrict investment in the Russian energy sector. Brussels also finalised plans to remove World Trade Organization (WTO) benefits from Russian goods and services, a plan announced in tandem with the G7 last Friday. “Today’s agreement builds on the wide-ranging and unprecedented packages of measures the EU has been taking in response to Russia’s acts of aggression against Ukraine’s territorial integrity and mounting atrocities against Ukrainian civilians and cities,” an EU statement read. Britain also imposed sweeping new sanctions on Russian individuals and entities on Tuesday, targeting more than 370 allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin - 51 of whom are oligarchs and their family members. After Ukraine, more Taiwanese willing to fight for island: survey Those sanctioned include Mikhail Fridman, Pyotr Aven and German Khan - three key figures behind Alfa Bank - who the British government said have a combined wealth of more than US$130 billion. Russian political figures sanctioned include Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and former president Dmitry Medvedev. Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov, foreign affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova and the digital “troll farm” Internet Research Agency, have also been added to the sanctions list. The latest measures add momentum to what Western officials have described as a move to “turn Russia into an international pariah”. Governments are waiting to see whether China will prop up the beleaguered Russian economy, which has seen its access to global markets vanish in less than a month. The EU has been lobbying the Chinese government to “align with our sanctions or adopt similar measures”, Peter Stano, the bloc’s foreign affairs spokesman said. “We are explaining to every country why the Kremlin’s behaviour is dangerous for the stability and rules-based order in the world and why it is necessary to stop such behaviour. “We encourage our partners to align with our sanctions or adopt similar measures to cripple the Kremlin’s ability to finance Putin’s murderous aggression against the Ukrainian people.” China going its ‘own way’ on Ukraine peace process: foreign minister Amid reports that the United States was planning to pressure Chinese tech companies such as SMIC and Lenovo to stop supplying chips and other crucial components to Russia, Stano said the EU would not lobby the private sector. “We coordinate and discuss sanctions with partner governments, not with the private sector, and when inviting partners to align, join or replicate our sanctions, our engagement is with governments and not with companies,” he said. Brussels was encouraged by reports that China has refused to supply sanctioned Russian airlines with aircraft parts, as well as China’s abstention from votes condemning Moscow at the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi appeared to confirm on Monday that Beijing would not flout Western sanctioning efforts, despite the government being strongly critical of such measures. “China is not a party to the crisis, nor does it want sanctions to affect China,” Wang told Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. While the US briefed European counterparts on Monday that China expressed willingness to provide military support to Russia , the EU “will continue to be in contact with China as part of our outreach on the Russian invasion of Ukraine”, Stano said. The Financial Times , citing US intelligence sources, reported that Russia had requested China supply five types of military equipment: surface-to-air missiles, drones, intelligence-related equipment, armoured vehicles and logistical support vehicles. Ukraine war: US-China talks focus on Beijing’s support of Russia CNN reported that China had expressed willingness to provide non-perishable military food kits. Both China and Russia have categorically denied the reports and Beijing has said the US is spreading disinformation to smear China. On Tuesday, reports in Ukrainian media cited the Chinese ambassador in Kyiv saying “China will never attack Ukraine”. “I can responsibly say that China will forever be a force for good in Ukraine, both economically and politically. We will always respect your state,” said Fan Xianrong, in a message posted on the website of the regional authority of Lviv in western Ukraine.