EU slaps fresh sanctions on Russia, vows more if it rejects 30-day ceasefire proposal

The European Union has agreed to impose a new round of sanctions against Russia, with a warning of additional measures if the country continues to reject the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposal put forth by the White House and the "Coalition of the Willing."

This move comes as Volodymyr Zelenskyy challenges Vladimir Putin to engage in direct peace talks in Türkiye, a format that has been endorsed by Donald Trump. However, the Kremlin has yet to confirm whether Putin will attend the talks in Istanbul, Caliber.Az reports, citing European media.

"I believe that if Putin does not arrive and plays games, it is the final point that he does not want to end the war," Zelenskyy stated.

The preliminary agreement on the new sanctions, marking the 17th package since February 2022, was finalised on May 14 morning during a meeting of EU ambassadors. It is expected to be formally approved by foreign affairs ministers next week.

The new sanctions once again focus on the "shadow fleet" deployed by the Kremlin to circumvent Western restrictions on the oil trade, ensuring continued revenue to fund the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. This fleet consists of ageing, uninsured ships suspected of engaging in deceptive practices, such as transmitting falsified data, deactivating their transponders to avoid detection, and conducting ship-to-ship transfers to obscure the origin of their oil cargo. The vessels are also under investigation for their involvement in sabotaging critical infrastructure.

So far, the EU has targeted 153 tankers from the "shadow fleet," blocking their access to EU ports and services. The new sanctions will add nearly 200 more vessels to the list, bringing the total to over 350.

In addition, the May 14 agreement blacklists 75 individuals and companies associated with Russia's military-industrial complex, as well as over 30 firms suspected of supplying Moscow with dual-use goods that have been prohibited by Western allies. The sanctions also extend to a ban on the export of EU-made chemicals that can be used to produce missiles.

By Khagan Isayev