The European Union has approved a new, 19th package of sanctions targeting Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” and imports of liquefied natural gas. This was announced by EU High Representative Kaia Kallas.
“We have just adopted our 19th package of sanctions. It targets, in particular, Russian banks, cryptocurrency exchanges, and companies in India and China. It is becoming increasingly difficult for Putin to finance this war, she said.
According to Kallas, the European Union is also restricting the movement of Russian diplomats to prevent attempts at destabilization.
The new sanctions package includes new and comprehensive measures on Russia’s oil and gas, shadow fleet and financial sector. Key points include a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas and additional steps aimed at preventing the circumvention of existing sanctions.
The decision was made after Slovakia withdrew its objections to the package. The discussions lasted for several weeks – Austria, Hungary and Slovakia blocked its adoption, putting forward their own conditions. As a result, a compromise was reached, and the document received the support of all 27 EU member states.
The new restrictions include a ban on the import of Russian LNG, which will come into force from January 2027 – a year earlier than planned. In addition, the sanctions will affect Russian banks, financial institutions in Central Asia and a number of cryptocurrency exchanges that help Russia circumvent the restrictions.
The package also includes trade sanctions against Chinese and Indian companies that helped Russia circumvent the sanctions regime. The EU is introducing a ban on the export of goods worth more than 40 billion euros that can be used by the Russian military-industrial complex – including minerals, ceramics and rubber.
In addition, more than 100 oil tankers involved in the illegal trade in Russian oil have been added to the sanctions list. In total, about 550 vessels have been sanctioned.
