EU ambassadors set to approve around 1,650 new sanctions entries against Russia
EU ambassadors are expected on Wednesday to approve approximately 1,650 new sanctions measures under the EU sanctions regime against Russia. If approved, the package would be the largest single expansion of EU sanctions lists against Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. After approval by ambassadors, the lists will be sent to EU foreign ministers for final approval the following Monday.
Key points
- EU ambassadors to approve ~1,650 new sanctions entries against Russia on Wednesday
- Package proposed by the European External Action Service (EEAS)
- Largest single expansion of EU Russia sanctions lists since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022
- Around 1,570 entries target Russia's military-industrial complex; more than half relate to missile production
- Main EU Russia sanctions regulation currently contains slightly more than 3,000 entries
- Some new entries imposed under other EU regimes, including North Korea restrictions
- Previous comprehensive package, the 21st, was adopted in July
Why it matters
If approved, the package would be the largest single expansion of EU sanctions designations against Russia since 2022, roughly matching the existing ~3,000 entries on the main Russia list. Around 1,570 of the new entries target Russia's military-industrial complex, with more than half linked to missile production. Approval by ambassadors is an advanced stage in the EU procedure, but final sign-off by EU foreign ministers is still required.
What happened
EU ambassadors are expected on Wednesday to approve approximately 1,650 new sanctions entries under the EU sanctions regime against Russia, according to reported information. The package was proposed by the European External Action Service (EEAS). After ambassador-level approval, the new sanctions lists will be sent to EU foreign ministers for final approval the following Monday.
Around 1,570 of the new entries target legal entities and individuals involved in Russia's military-industrial complex, with more than half of those related to missile production. The remaining new entries are also related to Russia but are imposed under other EU sanctions regimes, including several under restrictions against North Korea. The main EU Russia sanctions regulation currently contains slightly more than 3,000 entries, meaning the new package would roughly double the list's size. The previous comprehensive EU sanctions package, the 21st, was adopted in July.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Both Ukrainian sources frame the story as a forthcoming, large-scale new EU sanctions package against Russia, emphasizing the diplomatic step of ambassadors' approval and its scale relative to previous packages.
Background
The previous comprehensive EU sanctions package against Russia, the 21st, was adopted in July. The main EU Russia sanctions regulation currently contains slightly more than 3,000 entries, so the new package would roughly double the list's size. Some of the new entries are imposed under other EU sanctions regimes, including restrictions against North Korea.