EU extends sectoral sanctions on Russia

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - The European Council on Monday announced that the EU would extend its sectoral sanctions on Russia for six more months.

"The Council today renewed the EU restrictive measures in view of the Russian Federation’s continuing actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine for a further 6 months, until 31 January 2026," said a written statement issued by the council.

First introduced in 2014 following Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region and expanded in 2022, with the start of the current Ukraine war, the sectoral measures include restrictions across trade, finance, energy, technology, transport, and luxury goods.

A ban on Russian seaborne oil imports, the exclusion of major banks from the SWIFT international banking system, and the suspension of Kremlin-backed media in the EU are also covered under the measures, according to the statement.

"The EU today officially agreed to extend sectoral sanctions on Russia," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also wrote on X.

She expressed their commitment to "pile pressure" on Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.

"Each sanction weakens Russia’s ability to wage war," Kallas added.