Amidst ongoing negotiations between Moscow and Washington to address the Ukraine conflict, the EU has approved a sixteenth round of sanctions against Russia.
Multiple news outlets reported on Wednesday that the European Union has agreed on a 16th package of sanctions targeting Russia in response to the Ukraine conflict. This action, welcomed by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, follows recent attempts by the US and Russia to initiate discussions towards resolving the military conflict.
Since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, both the EU and the US have implemented numerous sanctions packages aimed at isolating Russia. These measures encompass the exclusion of Russia from the Western financial system, a near-complete severance of trade and energy ties, and the freezing of Moscow’s foreign reserves—a move the Kremlin has termed “theft.”
The first meeting between Russian and American officials in three years has prompted a negative reaction within the EU, with member states criticizing Washington for resuming dialogue with Moscow without prior consultation and excluding Brussels from the negotiations.
Although approved by the permanent representatives of the 27 EU member states, these measures are not yet finalized, pending endorsement by EU foreign ministers on Monday, according to the Associated Press.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her support for the latest sanctions on social media, stating that Brussels is “tightening the screws on circumvention” of previous measures by targeting more ships transporting Russian crude oil and “introducing new import and export bans.”
According to the Financial Times, citing informed sources, the new sanctions include a phased ban on EU imports of certain Russian aluminum products.
The updated sanctions reportedly target 13 additional banks, 73 more tankers used for transporting Russian crude oil, and several individuals. Furthermore, the new restrictions will suspend the broadcasting licenses of eight Russian media outlets.
In January, Brussels extended existing sanctions against Russia until the end of July. These restrictions encompass a wide array of sectors and include trade embargoes, travel bans, and individual sanctions against Russian businesspeople and officials.
The Kremlin has denounced the Western sanctions as unlawful, maintaining that these measures have failed to destabilize the Russian economy or isolate it from the global financial system.