About: EU sanctions
EU nears compromise deal to defuse standoff with Russia over Kaliningrad
Trade through Lithuania to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad could return to normal within days, two sources familiar with the matter said, as European officials edge towards a compromise deal with the Baltic state to defuse a row with Moscow.
Bulgaria kicks out 70 Russian ‘diplomats’ for espionage
Bulgaria has declared ‘personae non grata’ the record number of 70 Russian diplomats for activity incompatible with their diplomatic status, outgoing Prime Minister Kiril Petkov announced late on Tuesday (28 June).
Russian embassy in Sofia launches appeal for war donations
A blogpost of the Russian embassy in Sofia, inviting citizens to make donations for “the military participating in the special operation to protect the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics” is making waves in Bulgaria. EURACTIV Bulgaria took a closer look at the appeal.
The ‘Big Package’: How Russia was driven to default
Russia's first major international debt default in over a century, which Washington said became a fact on Monday (27 June), follows months of co-ordinated Western sanctions that left Moscow with cash but no access to the international financial network.
Summit debrief with Viola Von Cramon: ‘A disastrous signal for the Western Balkans’
EURACTIV debriefed with MEP Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel from the 23-24 summit, its highlights being a meeting with the leaders of the Western Balkan countries and a decision to grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova.
No more EU sanctions on Russia needed, negotiations better option – Hungary
The European Union should stop adding sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and instead push for a ceasefire and the start of negotiations, a senior aide to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Thursday (23 June).
Lithuania ready if Russia cuts out common power grid over Kaliningrad disruptions
Lithuania will be prepared if Russia disconnects it from the regional power grid in retaliation for blocking rail shipments of some Russian goods to Moscow's Kaliningrad exclave, but no military confrontation is expected, its president told Reuters.
EU leaders to keep sanction pressure on Russia, gold flagged as new target
European Union leaders aim to maintain pressure on Russia at their summit this week by committing to further work on sanctions, a draft document showed, with gold among assets that may be targeted in a possible next round of measures.
Germany seizes property of Russian Duma member
Germany seized the property of a Putin supporter on Monday (20 June) over violations of the EU sanction regime for the first time since the sanctions entered into effect.
Russia demands Lithuania lift Kaliningrad transit ban immediately
Russia on Monday (20 June) demanded that Lithuania immediately lift a ban on the transit of some goods to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Georgians to hold ‘march for Europe’ after blow to EU bid
Georgians are gearing up on Monday (20 June) for a mass rally in support of the country's membership in the European Union, days after the European Commission recommended to defer Tbilisi's candidacy.
Lithuania says sanctions on goods to Kaliningrad take effect
Lithuanian authorities said a ban on the transit through their territory to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad of goods that are subject to EU sanctions was to take effect from Saturday (18 June).
Russia says West ‘shot itself in the head’ with energy sanctions
Russia said on 16 June that the West had "shot itself in the head" by trying to limit energy imports from the oil and gas fields due to the Ukraine conflict, in contrast to China which has increased energy deliveries.
Italy minister says nationalisation an option for Lukoil refinery
Italy's ecological transition minister on 11 June said nationalisation was among the options for Lukoil's Italian refinery based in the island of Sicily.
Germany urges Serbia to apply sanctions against Moscow
Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday (10 June) urged EU candidate Serbia to join the European Union in imposing sanctions against Russia over the war of Ukraine.
Lavrov’s cancelled visit — a boon for Vucic
Ever been relieved when your friends cancel a visit at the last minute? Analysts believe that is exactly what Serbian authorities' are feeling after Russia's chief diplomat was forced to drop his trip to the Balkan country.
Lavrov cancels Serbia trip after neighbours close airspace
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was forced to cancel a visit to Serbia on Monday (6 June) after several of its neighbours prevented his plane from passing through their airspace, officials said.
Kazakhstan’s constitutional referendum explained
On Friday (3 June), Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave the shortest speech of his career – only three minutes, expressing the ambition “to make New Kazakhstan a reality” in which social justice would be the principal value.
Pyrrhic victory for Hungary as EU approves sanctions targeting Russian oil and Sberbank
EU ambassadors on Thursday (2 June) gave their final approval to the sixth sanctions package on Russian seaborne oil and top bank Sberbank, after much wrangling with Hungary over the removal of Russian Orthodox leader Patriarch Kirill from the EU sanctions list.
EU steps up efforts to debunk Putin’s food security propaganda
The EU is planning an offensive to counter Russian narratives as to which Western sanctions are made responsible for the disruption to global supply of grains and fertilisers, EURACTIV.com has learnt.
Belarus route for Ukrainian grain gives EU leaders hope and headache
One of the ways out of the looming world food crisis is to re-channel the million tonnes of grain stuck in Ukraine via Belarus. The difficulty however is of political nature: the EU would need to lift the sanctions it recently imposed on Belarus.
Zelenskyy urges EU leaders to show resolve, calls situation in Donbas ‘extremely difficult’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday (30 May) urged EU leaders to show strength, saying internal "quarrels" only benefit Moscow.
EU leaders back partial ban on Russian oil imports into the bloc
After several weeks of drawn-out negotiations mostly stalled by Hungary, EU leaders on Monday (30 May) struck a political compromise to ban seaborne imports of Russian oil by the end of the year, but fell short of a full embargo.