Russia’s war against Ukraine: EU extends economic sanctions for further six months

On 22 December, the Council of the European Union renewed the EU’s restrictive measures in view of Russia’s continuing actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine for a further six months, until 31 July 2026.

These economic measures, first introduced in 2014, were significantly expanded in February 2022 in response to Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and illegal military aggression against Ukraine.

They currently consist of a broad spectrum of sectoral measures, including restrictions on trade, finance, energy, technology and dual-use goods, industry, transport and luxury goods. They also cover: a ban on the import or transfer of seaborne crude oil and certain petroleum products from Russia to the EU, a de-SWIFTing of several Russian banks and the suspension of the broadcasting activities and licenses in the European Union of several Kremlin-backed disinformation outlets. Additionally, specific measures enable the EU to counter sanctions circumvention.

“As long as the illegal actions by the Russian Federation continue to violate fundamental rules of international law, including, in particular, the prohibition on the use of force, it is appropriate to maintain in force all the measures imposed by the EU and to take additional measures, if necessary,” says a press release by the Council of the EU.

Since 24 February 2022, the EU has adopted 19 unprecedented and hard-hitting packages of sanctions in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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Press release