EU proposes 19th package of Russia sanctions
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
The European Commission said on Sept. 19 that it has proposed the EU's next package of sanctions targeting Russia over its full-scale war against Ukraine.
"We can confirm that the Commission has adopted a new package of sanctions against Russia, the 19th package," European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho told journalists in Brussels.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, are expected to present details later in the day. The plan then needs to be approved by all 27 member states.
EU officials previously said the package would target Russian crypto assets, banks, and energy.
The news comes as Kyiv urges international partners to step up economic pressure on Moscow and push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward meaningful peace talks.
The Commission was initially expected to unveil the 19th package on Sept. 17, but the move was postponed, reportedly due to U.S. President Donald Trump's push for European countries to cut off Russian oil purchases.
The Trump administration has said it would adopt additional sanctions on Moscow only once the EU also steps up its measures, including through tariffs on China, Russia's leading buyer of oil.
Following a call with Trump, von der Leyen said that Brussels will propose to speed up the phase-out of Russian energy imports, initially set for the end of 2027.
The last EU package, approved on July 18, was said to be the "strongest... to date," primarily targeting Russia's oil revenues. The measures included lowering the price cap on Russian seaborne oil exports to $47.60 per barrel, sanctions against over 100 vessels of Russia's shadow fleet, and more.
