European Union member states on Wednesday agreed on a new round of sanctions against Russia after annexing four Ukrainian regions, the Czech EU Presidency announced.
The agreement was concluded at the level of the Ambassadors of the Twenty-Seven. The names and organizations targeted by these new sanctions are due to be published in the EU’s Official Journal on Thursday, meaning their effective entry into force.
“We just reached a political agreement on new sanctions against Russia, a strong EU response to Putin’s illegal annexation of territories,” Czech Ambassador Edita Hrda said.
This is the European bloc’s eighth package of sanctions since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron promised in a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he would work with his EU partners on this new sanctions package.
On September 28, the EU responded to the annexation of four territories occupied in whole or in part by Moscow, notably proposing to cap the price of Russian oil and adding new restrictions on trade with Moscow.
Western capitals refuse to recognize the referendums held on occupied Ukrainian territory that led to these annexations.
The sanctions usually consist of a freeze on assets and a ban on EU residence for the individuals or company directors concerned.