Politics EU states agree on new sanctions against Russia

The EU member states have agreed on a new package of sanctions due to the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Several diplomats told the German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur that the planned measures are primarily intended to take tougher action against the so-called Russian shadow fleet for the transportation of oil and oil products.

The plan is to ban more than 50 additional ships from entering EU ports. In addition, they will no longer be able to benefit from the services of European companies. In a first step, the EU had already blacklisted around two dozen ships in June.

As part of the 15th sanctions pact, there are also plans to impose trade restrictions on more than 30 other players who, according to EU findings, maintain links to Russia's defense and security sector or support it in other ways. These are again said to include companies based in China that are involved in the production of drones for the Russian war against Ukraine, for example. According to the current Hungarian EU Council Presidency, there are also plans to impose entry bans and asset freezes on a number of other individuals.

Top representatives of the EU institutions were pleased with the agreement reached by the member states. "This will further weaken Putin's war machine", commented EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas on the sanctions deal. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola wrote: "This sends another strong signal: our support for Ukraine will not waver."

The agreement reached in the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States must now be formally confirmed. This is to take place next Monday at a meeting of the foreign ministers of the member states in Brussels. The agreed sanctions can then be published in the EU Official Journal and enter into force.

Environmentalists warn of oil spill

The sanctions against the ships are primarily concerned with economic aspects, but also with environmental protection. Russia has long been accused of relying on ships that are not owned by Western shipping companies or insured by Western insurers in order to circumvent a Western price cap on Russian oil exports to third countries.

According to experts, there are major risks for shipping and the environment. They point out, for example, that many tankers are outdated, have technical defects and sometimes sail without an automatic identification system. Countries bordering the Baltic Sea such as Sweden and environmental organizations such as Greenpeace have therefore been calling for months for tougher action to be taken against the ship owners, operators and insurance companies involved.

Greenpeace points out that the entire German Baltic coast is also threatened by the tankers. According to figures from the environmental protection organization, more than 170 ships from the Russian shadow fleet have sailed through the German Baltic Sea and the Kadet Channel in the Bay of Mecklenburg once or more in the past two years.

Controversial exemptions

Prior to the political agreement on the sanctions package, there was a dispute about, among other things, how long European companies with business relationships with Russia should be able to benefit from exemptions for certain exports and imports that are actually prohibited in order to be able to withdraw from the Russian market in an orderly manner. According to diplomats, countries such as Latvia and Lithuania were unable to push through their demands for a rapid expiry of the current exemptions.

Further sanctions package could come on the anniversary

The EU's last package of sanctions against Russia was adopted in June. It mainly comprised measures against billion-dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) deals and companies involved in circumventing sanctions. According to current plans, a further EU package of Russia sanctions will be introduced next February on the third anniversary of the war against Ukraine ordered by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.