EU plans new sanctions package against Russia by Feb 2025

The European Union is set to adopt a new sanctions package against Russia by February 24, 2025, marking the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to sources within EU diplomatic circles.

The upcoming 16th sanctions package aims to deliver a “clear signal” to Moscow by targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy that have either been insufficiently addressed or overlooked in previous sanctions, Caliber.Az reports, citing German media.

The sanctions will also target individuals and organizations considered to be propagandists for the Russian regime, particularly those accused of undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The European Union Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) are also planning to impose entry bans and freeze the assets of individuals involved in espionage or participating in disinformation campaigns, especially in Germany.

While the sanctions are expected to focus on hybrid warfare tactics, such as espionage and disinformation, the EU faces challenges in tracking the involvement of individuals in these activities. Proving criminal involvement in hybrid Russian attacks is proving to be difficult, which has led to uncertainties about whether these measures will be included in the sanctions package on February 24, 2025.

In related developments, on December 14, Bloomberg reported that the EU was preparing sanctions targeting more than a dozen individuals and three organizations involved in Russia’s disinformation and hybrid activities. These sanctions were part of the first package intended to counter such activities, which also proposed expanding sanctions against Belarus.

On December 16, the EU’s new foreign policy chief, Kaija Kallas, confirmed the plans for a new sanctions package against Russia. On the same day, the European Council approved the 15th sanctions package, which included 54 individuals and 30 organizations from Russia, China, and North Korea. This package notably featured Russian military personnel responsible for the strike on the Okhmatdyt hospital in Kyiv, energy sector executives, and individuals implicated in child deportations, propaganda, and sanctions evasion.

By Khagan Isayev