Today at 15:39
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas announced in Berlin that the European Union has begun preparing its 20th sanctions package against Russia for its ongoing war in Ukraine.
Speaking after a meeting with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and other European counterparts, Kallas stressed the importance of sustained pressure on Moscow, UATV English reports.
“The side that loses a war is the one that runs out of money or soldiers first,”
Kallas said, underscoring the need to maintain sanctions pressure on Russia.
She noted that the latest U.S. restrictions introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump against Russian oil companies further increase this pressure. According to Kallas, sanctions are most effective when coordinated with international partners, and the new American measures are already depriving Russia of resources needed to continue its war.
The upcoming EU sanctions package will be the twentieth since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The 19th package, adopted in October, focused primarily on reducing Russia’s revenue from gas and oil exports.
Among its measures:
- A complete ban on Russian LNG imports starting in 2027 — one year earlier than planned.
- Additional restrictions in the financial and trade sectors.
- New limitations on the movement of Russian diplomats inside the EU.
Kallas did not disclose details of the 20th package, but according to Brussels diplomats, discussions include adding more Russian energy companies and vessels from Russia’s so‑called “shadow fleet” to the sanctions list.
Russia’s “shadow fleet” consists of older vessels sailing under foreign flags and used to circumvent Western oil price caps. To hide the origin of their cargo, operators often switch off or alter AIS tracking data or transfer oil between tankers at sea.
