“We know that our sanctions are an effective tool of economic pressure. And we will keep using them until Russia comes to the negotiation table with Ukraine for a just and lasting peace”. This is how the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, justified the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia, which she presented on Friday 19 September. It consists of targeting even more Russian gas and oil imports, sanctioning additional companies that participate in the Russian war effort and banks that allow sanctions to be circumvented.
On the energy front, the Commission will be proposing to EU Member States that they ban all imports of Russian LNG. “Our aim is to speed up the phase-out of Russian liquefied natural gas by 1 January 2027”, said the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas. So far, negotiations have focused on a definitive end to all Russian gas imports by 1 January 2028 (see EUROPE 13709/5, 13703/1).
The Commission also intends to impose sanctions on 118 vessels in Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’, which are transporting oil despite the sanctions. The Russian oil and gas companies Rosneft and Gazpromneft are targeted by a full ban on transactions, as are other companies in third countries that allow European sanctions to be circumvented, including China.
This is in line with US President Donald Trump’s demand for complete independence from Russian hydrocarbons.
In the financial sector too, the Commission wants to target Russian and foreign banks that are also circumventing the EU’s restrictive measures. Cryptocurrency platforms will face restrictive measures and cryptocurrency transactions will be banned altogether, if the sanctions package is passed. The same will apply to transactions with entities in special economic zones.
On the trade side, technologies used in warfare (dual-use goods) are likely to be subject to export restrictions. In addition, 45 new companies supporting the military industry in Russia or elsewhere are expected be sanctioned.
According to Kaja Kallas, further individuals are also expected to be subject to sanctions, insofar as they are involved in the “abduction and indoctrination of Ukrainian children”.
In her speech announcing the proposed sanctions, Ursula von der Leyen reiterated the EU’s willingness to support Ukraine with bank loans backed by interest on frozen Russian assets. “We will come forward with a proposal soon”, she stated (see other news).
Reception by EU Member States. On Friday 19 September, the Commission presented its sanctions package to the members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States to the EU (Coreper), who generally gave it a “warm welcome”, according to three diplomats.
The Danish Presidency of the EU Council is determined to get the package adopted quickly. Many technical questions remain, and Member States now need some time to analyse the measures. Coreper will examine the issue again next week. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal and Pauline Denys)