EU Proposes New Sanctions Package as Pressure Mounts on Russia

The European Commission announced on Friday that it has put forth a new set of sanctions against Russia for the approval of member states, aiming to intensify pressure on Moscow regarding its military actions in Ukraine.

EU President Ursula von der Leyen, who is anticipated to provide details on the proposed measures later in the day, hinted earlier this week that the new sanctions package would focus on cryptocurrency and banking sectors and accelerate the timeline for the cessation of Russian fossil fuel imports into Europe.

«We can confirm that the commission has implemented a new sanctions package against Russia, marking the 19th iteration,» said commission spokesperson Paula Pinho during a press briefing in Brussels.

Thus far, the EU has enacted 18 rounds of sanctions since Russia commenced its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, aiming to undermine the Kremlin’s financial capabilities through asset freezes and a nearly complete embargo on Russian oil imports.

These latest measures follow a call from U.S. President Donald Trump for allies to cease importing Russian oil and to impose tariffs on China, conditions he stated would be necessary for any future U.S. sanctions on Russia.

Following her discussion with Trump earlier this week, von der Leyen mentioned that the commission intends to expedite «the phase-out of Russian fossil fuel imports,» which was originally scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.

Given that Brussels has already prohibited the majority of Russian oil imports, the forthcoming EU sanctions are likely to focus on gas imports.

Despite efforts to reduce decades-long dependence on Russian gas, around 19% of the EU’s gas imports still originated from Russia in 2024, a decrease from 45% prior to the large-scale invasion of Ukraine.