EU Aims to Increase Economic Pressure on Russia with New Sanctions, Kallas: Ambitious Package

The European Union is drafting a new, wide-ranging package of sanctions against Russia to increase economic pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, announced that the planned measures will significantly expand the list of Russian entities covered by the sanctions regime.

She explained that the number of sanctioned Russian entities is expected to increase by around one-third. “We are preparing an ambitious sanctions package,” Kallas said, stressing that the EU seeks to keep Russia under economic pressure.

According to her, the punitive measures imposed by the European Union together with its partners have cost Russia more than €1 trillion since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Kallas said the EU’s goal is to step up its actions against Russia and further reduce the resources Moscow can use to finance the war.

The new packages are expected to include measures against individuals and entities linked to the Russian economy, as well as sectors considered important to Moscow’s ability to continue the war.