Key facts
- The EU has proposed its 21st sanctions package against Russia.
- The package includes an entry ban for Russian soldiers.
- It also proposes freezing the adjustment mechanism of the EU's oil price cap on Russian crude.
- Export-control measures are proposed for companies in India, China, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and the UAE.
- The sanctions aim to tighten restrictions on entities supporting Russia's military-industrial complex and circumventing existing sanctions.
The European Union has proposed its 21st sanctions package against Russia, which includes an entry ban for Russian soldiers and measures to prevent the EU's oil price cap from rising with global benchmarks. The proposed package also targets approximately 50 entities, including companies based in India, China, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and the United Arab Emirates, with fresh export-control restrictions.
These measures are part of a broader effort by the EU to tighten restrictions on networks accused of supporting Russia's military-industrial complex and helping Moscow circumvent existing sanctions imposed over the Ukraine conflict. According to Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the package includes export-control measures on companies in these third countries and over 30 new designations linked to Russia's drone manufacturing sector.
The proposed curbs would cover nickel powders, metals, and high-performance alloys, and the bloc intends to restrict imports of new categories of goods, including certain automobile parts, precious-metal ores, and chemicals. Kallas stated that the EU is seeking to further weaken Russia's economic capacity to sustain the war effort, aiming to "collapse the foundations of Russia's war economy."
The package also envisages a temporary freeze of the Russian oil price cap and fresh designations targeting institutions allegedly used by Moscow to generate revenues and evade sanctions. These include banks, weapons manufacturers, oil traders, refineries, and cryptocurrency operators in third countries. The measures will require approval from EU member states before formal adoption.