Russia to face biggest EU sanctions package of the war this autumn, as bloc prepares new measures

New European Union Sanctions Package Targeting Russia

According to ХВИЛЯ: The European Union is working on a fresh round of sanctions against Russia that will be the largest imposed since the full-scale war began. The move follows a series of earlier EU sanctions rounds aimed at limiting Russia's ability to fund its war effort. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas revealed this in an interview with Die Welt. She said the package, expected to be approved in the autumn, would raise the total number of Russian individuals and legal entities under EU sanctions by roughly a third.

Kallas also pointed out that existing sanctions have already cost the Russian economy heavily, with the country's war machine losing more than €1 trillion. She insisted that pressure on Moscow must continue to grow until Russia ends its military campaign. No exact timeline has yet been announced for EU member states to examine the new package.

Sanctions Drive Continues

The upcoming package builds on the previous one, which was formally adopted on 23 July and focused on Russian energy, financial services, and cryptocurrencies. Notably, that earlier package had been held up by several countries, with Greece as the last to drop its objection.

• On 7 August, the EU approved new sanctions lists in response to large-scale attacks against Ukraine.
• The media outlet Khvylia previously reported on the 21st EU sanctions package and Brussels' possible refusal to pursue further sanctions packages after Greece's demarche.

The planned sanctions underscore the continuation of the EU's campaign to pressure Russia while the conflict continues. With earlier measures already inflicting substantial economic damage, the next round could become a key tool for further strengthening the EU's position in international politics. Getting all member states on board remains a challenge, as past votes were obstructed by individual governments. That makes EU unity an essential condition for the sanctions to have their intended impact.

As the EU prepares for its most significant sanctions package to date, it is essential to understand the context of previous measures. The recently agreed 21st sanctions package specifically targeted Russian banks and the oil sector, highlighting the bloc's ongoing strategy to weaken Russia's economic capabilities. This earlier initiative set the stage for the upcoming round, emphasizing the EU's commitment to sustaining pressure on Moscow.