EU Prepares 20th Russia Sanctions Package
Diplomats from European Union member states are preparing to adopt a 20th package of sanctions against Russia, with Slovakia and Hungary expected to drop their opposition once oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline resume.
The measures aim to intensify efforts to curb Russia’s energy revenues and military capabilities, as Ukraine calls for tougher action from its allies more than four years after the invasion began. The bloc had intended to approve the package in February, marking the anniversary of the invasion, but failed to secure unanimous backing.
Slovakia has indicated it is ready to support the measures if oil deliveries are restored. Flows through the Druzhba pipeline are expected to resume following a drone strike in January. Hungary has long resisted new sanctions in the absence of such guarantees and has blocked other decisions.
At the same time, the EU has delayed a full ban on maritime services for Russian oil, approving it only in principle. The final decision is to be coordinated with the Group of Seven (G7).
The package is expected to target Russia’s military-industrial sector, including drone production, the so-called shadow fleet and services linked to liquefied natural gas and icebreakers. It also includes asset freezes and trade restrictions on Russian companies, as well as the first use of the bloc’s anti-circumvention instrument against third countries, targeting entities that help Moscow bypass existing sanctions.