EU Proposes New Sanctions Against Russia Amid Ongoing Conflict

The European Union has introduced its latest sanctions proposal against Russia, aiming to restrict energy transactions and undermine Moscow's economic stability, as peace talks between Russia and Ukraine continue to struggle.

The European Union’s executive branch has revealed a comprehensive package of sanctions against Russia, designed to inflict economic pressure on President Vladimir V. Putin by targeting the nation’s crucial energy and banking sectors. This announcement, made on Tuesday, details steps that, if passed by member states, will effectively ban transactions with the Nord Stream pipelines, intending to sever future energy flow from Russia into Europe.

Further measures include lowering the price cap for Russian gas sold on international markets, which is aimed at decreasing Moscow’s revenue. Additionally, Russian banks will face stringent restrictions alongside actions targeting the “shadow fleet”—older tankers, often either registered in other countries or unregistered, utilized by Moscow to covertly distribute and sell oil globally to sidestep existing sanctions.

This sanctions proposal marks the 18th package of economic measures to emerge from Brussels since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Together, the measures represent a concerted effort to undermine Russia’s economic capabilities and bolster morale as the war reaches a critical phase.

The sanctions rollout coincides with stalled peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Despite considerable pressure from the Trump administration to negotiate a ceasefire, the most recent discussions, which took place earlier this month in Istanbul, produced minimal outcomes apart from a tentative agreement on prisoner exchanges.