EU's next Russia sanctions package won't include major energy sales curbs, Politico reports
The EU's planned 19th package of sanctions against Russia is expected to exclude major restrictions on energy sales, Politico reported on Aug. 26, citing undisclosed sources.
According to four European diplomats, the package should instead include further measures against Moscow's "shadow fleet" and companies helping Russia circumvent existing sanctions, Politico wrote.
The new package, set to be unveiled in September, follows previous sanctions Brussels slapped on Russia in response to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The EU has pledged to ramp up economic pressure on Moscow to force it to end the war in Ukraine, while U.S. President Donald Trump has so far refused to adopt additional sanctions, fearing the step might disrupt his peace efforts.
The European bloc adopted its 18th sanctions package in July, calling it "one of its strongest sanctions packages" to date.
The measures included lowering the price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $47.6 per barrel, sanctions against 105 "shadow fleet" vessels, a ban on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, and other steps.
Russian oil and gas revenues amounted to about 30% of total federal revenues last year, playing a vital role in helping to fund Russia's aggression in Ukraine.
While Brussels announced work on its 19th sanctions package on Aug. 19, Politico reported that the EU is running out of tools to put economic pressure on Russia.
The EU banned most Russian oil imports at the onset of the full-scale invasion and aims to phase out all energy purchases by the end of 2027.
The U.S., whose economic relations with Russia are limited, has repeatedly threatened to impose secondary tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil, but Trump often walked back on his threats and broke self-imposed deadlines.
After holding in-person talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 15 and with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 18, the U.S. president once again threatened to impose massive sanctions on Russia unless a peace deal is reached soon.
"Over the next two weeks, we're going to find out which way it’s going to go. And I better be very happy," Trump said at the White House on Aug. 22.
