French FM calls for toughest sanctions against Russia

Jean-Noël Barrot, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, has urged the European Union to impose the harshest possible sanctions on Russia, accusing Moscow of failing to show any willingness to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

According to Prime, Barrot made the call ahead of an EU Foreign Ministers' meeting in Luxembourg, stating that such sanctions were necessary to strangle Russia's economy and hinder its military efforts, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The French official also suggested that the United States, which has invested considerable efforts to achieve a ceasefire, might deploy existing sanctions to pressure President Vladimir Putin into negotiations.

To recall, in response to Russia's military offensive against Ukraine, the European Union (EU) has implemented a series of sanctions aimed at crippling Russia's military capabilities and pressuring its political elite. As of early 2025, these measures have evolved to address emerging challenges and circumventive tactics.​

The EU's 16th sanctions package, adopted on February 24, 2025, introduced several significant measures:

• Trade and Export Restrictions: The EU expanded bans on imports of Russian aluminium and related products. It also prohibited exports of items critical to Russia's military industry, including chemical precursors, certain machine parts, and devices like video-game controllers used to operate combat drones. ​

• Financial Sector Measures: Thirteen additional Russian financial institutions were excluded from the SWIFT messaging system. The EU also banned transactions with three banks involved in circumventing existing sanctions and prohibited services to Russian oil and gas refineries. ​

• Expanded Sanctions Lists: Eighty-four new individuals and entities were added to the sanctions list, including Chinese entities aiding Russia's military efforts. This marked the first EU sanctions targeting Chinese firms under these measures. ​

• Media Restrictions: The EU suspended broadcasting licenses of eight Russian media outlets within its territory to combat disinformation.

By Aghakazim Guliyev