About: Sanctions
WTA suspends all tournaments in China over Peng concerns
The women's professional tennis tour announced it was suspending all tournaments in China amid what its chairman called "serious doubts" about the safety of Chinese player Peng Shuai, who accused a top Communist Party leader of sexual assault.
US ‘deeply concerned’ by Bulgarian president’s Crimea comment
The United States waited until Rumen Radev's victory was confirmed in Bulgaria's presidential election run-off but then voiced its "deep concern" on Monday (22 November) over Radev's comment in a televised debate last week that “Crimea is Russian for the time being”.
European Parliament delegation visits Taiwan
A European Parliament delegation arrived in Taiwan Wednesday (3 November), part of an effort to build closer ties with the island despite warnings from China.
Facing stalemate in ties, Biden and China’s Xi discuss avoiding conflict in call
US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke for 90 minutes in their first talks in seven months on Thursday (9 September), discussing the need to avoid letting competition between the world's two largest economies veer into conflict.
Defiant Lukashenko says Belarusian Olympic defector was ‘manipulated’
President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday a Belarusian sprinter who defected at the Olympic Games in Tokyo had been "manipulated" by outside forces and would not have fled abroad otherwise.
EU sanctions Nicaraguan leader’s wife, son over repression
The EU imposed sanctions Monday on Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's wife Rosario Murillo, who is his vice president, as well as one of his sons and six more officials.
US, Germany to vow action on Russia in Nord Stream 2 deal
The United States and Germany will take action against Russia if it uses the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to harm Ukraine or other Eastern European countries, according to sources familiar with a bilateral agreement expected on Wednesday (21 July).
Venezuela’s Maduro blows hot and cold in bid for sanctions relief
For Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the voting in November’s regional elections is a second-tier priority as the government looks to make concessions to receive international sanctions relief. Maduro’s own re-election in 2018 has not ever been recognized by either the...
Lukashenko blasts ‘Nazi’ Germany after new Western sanctions
Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko Tuesday (22 June) accused modern Germany of Nazism on the 80th anniversary of Hitler's invasion of the USSR and a day after coordinated Western sanctions on his country.
West piles coordinated sanctions on Belarus after plane diversion
The EU, US, Britain and Canada ratcheted up pressure on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko Monday (21 June) by imposing coordinated sanctions after the forced landing of a Ryanair airliner to arrest a regime critic.
Belarus: a moment of truth for European values
Firmness is the only answer to Alexander Lukashenko’s Soviet-era thuggery. But in addition to strict sanctions, those who oppose oppression need our help: psychological support and scholarships for now-exiled young activists, support for media and shelter for journalists, writes Frans Timmermans.
Kazakhstan rebuffs talk of joint sanctions response with Russia
Kazakhstan on Saturday (5 June) dismissed a senior Russian official's idea of a joint response to Western sanctions against Moscow and its allies such as Belarus by a Russia-led post-Soviet trade bloc.
Putin says wants to find ways with Biden to improve ties
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday (4 June) he hoped to improve deeply damaged relations with the United States when he holds his first summit with US counterpart Joe Biden later this month.
Why the EU should punish Russian ‘Kremligarchs’ for Ryanair hijacking
While EU sanctions against Belarusian officials are welcome, Russia’s role should not be ignored by Brussels, argues Ilya Zaslavskiy. But targeting Kremlin cronies, rather than the Russian people, would be much fairer and far cheaper than putting an extra NATO brigade in Eastern Europe.
EU fury with Belarus and the Turów coal mine dispute
This week, our podcast takes us to Belarus, where a Ryanair passenger plane was forced to land so the Belarusian authorities could detain one of the passengers, the dissident journalist Roman Protasevich.
EU parliament freezes China deal ratification until Beijing lifts sanctions
The European Parliament halted on Thursday (20 May) ratification of a new investment pact with China until Beijing lifts sanctions on EU politicians, deepening a dispute in Sino-European relations and denying EU companies greater access to China.
Russian ambassador: Moscow and EU need to pull themselves out of ‘this mess’
The Russian Ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, discussed the current tensions against the background of purported covert operations by Russian military intelligence GRU on EU soil, jailed dissident Alexei Navalny, the Sputnik vaccine, and the upcoming Economic Forum in St Petersburg.
EU summons Russian envoy over travel bans on Brussels officials
The European Union summoned Russia's ambassador to the bloc on Monday to condemn Moscow's decision to bar eight officials from entering the country, which the Kremlin said was in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Russian citizens by the EU.
Sweden summons Russian ambassador over sanctions
Sweden summoned Russia's ambassador to Stockholm on Saturday (1 May), denouncing Moscow for sanctioning European Union officials including a Swedish researcher in an escalating row between Russia and the West.
Moscow decries ‘unfriendly actions’ as US ends visa services for most Russians
The Kremlin accused Washington on Friday (30 April) of fuelling tension with “unfriendly actions” after the US embassy in Moscow said it was cutting staff and stopping processing visas for most Russians.
Russia bars EU officials as latest row escalates
Tensions between Russia and the European Union escalated on Friday (30 April) as Moscow barred eight EU officials from entering the country and Brussels warned it could respond in kind.
Ukraine encourages Western allies to kick Russia out of SWIFT
Ukraine urged Western allies to show they were prepared to punish Moscow with new sanctions, including kicking Russia out of the global SWIFT payments system, to deter the Kremlin from resorting to more military force against Ukraine.
Mass pro-Navalny protests planned as Putin addresses Russia
Vladimir Putin delivers a state of the nation address on Wednesday (21 April) as Russia deals with a crisis in ties with the West and faces calls for mass protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.