Günter Krichbaum
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EU approves largest sanctions expansion of the war, adding nearly 1,600 listings targeting Russia's military-industrial complex
On 12 October, EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg approved a 22nd sanctions package against Russia, adding almost 1,600 new listings to the EU sanctions list. The package, described as the largest single expansion since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, targets Russia's military-industrial complex, with more than half of the new entries linked to the ballistic missile production chain. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas announced the package and called on the United States to join the sanctions.
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US threatens to halt PURL weapons supplies and intelligence sharing to pressure Kyiv on strikes against Russian energy targets
The Trump administration is reportedly threatening to halt weapons supplies to Ukraine under the NATO-managed PURL mechanism and to suspend intelligence sharing unless it ceases attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. American officials contacted European capitals and Kyiv by phone over the weekend, the Financial Times reported citing European officials. The same day, President Trump announced on social media that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to an immediate energy ceasefire — a claim Kyiv and a senior Ukrainian official said they had not heard of, pointing to continued Russian strikes including on a power station in Kharkiv. The White House declined to confirm or comment on the calls.