The move aligns the EU with U.S. sanctions, targeting Russia’s capacity to continue its war in Ukraine.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on social media Thursday that EU member states had approved the 19th sanctions package against Russia.
“For the first time, we are hitting the heart of Russia’s war economy — the natural gas sector. We will not back down until the people of Ukraine achieve a just and lasting peace,” von der Leyen said.
According to Denmark, the new sanctions will ban imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) from 2027. In addition, the package tightens restrictions on two major Russian oil companies and adds 117 “shadow fleet” vessels previously used by Russia to evade sanctions to the EU blacklist.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Thursday that the sanctions are having a tangible impact and are inflicting significant damage on the Russian economy. He added that the measures make it harder for Russia to finance its war against Ukraine.
45 Entities Targeted
The EU sanctions package had been delayed for weeks due to objections from Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia. However, it was adopted a day after the U.S. announced sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil producers, Rosneft PJSC and Lukoil PJSC.
The new EU measures target 45 entities that helped Russia circumvent previous sanctions, including 12 companies based in China and Hong Kong.
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