BRUSSELS (Reuters) -EU countries on Thursday formally adopted a 19th package of sanctions against Russia for its war against Ukraine that includes a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports. The 27 member states had already approved the package on Wednesday evening after Slovakia dropped its block.

The European Union has sanctioned two mainland Chinese oil refineries and one Hong Kong-based oil trader as part of its latest efforts to hobble Russia's war economy, drawing a stern rebuke from Beijing.

French President Emmanuel Macron told European Union leaders to consider using the bloc’s most powerful trade tool against China if they aren’t able to find a resolution to Beijing’s planned export controls on critical raw materials.

The EU added that all sanctioned firms will now face tighter export rules for goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.

Squeezed by Trump and taxpayers, E.U. leaders are weighing a plan to tap into some $200 billion in frozen Russian assets to give Ukraine cash.