German chancellor confirms new EU sanctions on Russia

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced a new package of European Union sanctions targeting Russia, underscoring Berlin’s firm support for Ukraine amid ongoing Russian aggression.

“The fact that President Zelenskyy travelled to Türkiye despite this is an enormous gesture. Putin didn't show up – and that put him in the wrong. A new sanctions package is ready. We will adopt it in Brussels on Tuesday [May 20],” the German chancellor wrote on X, Caliber.Az reports. 

The measures aim to intensify pressure on the Kremlin and will target nearly 200 vessels in Russia’s so-called shadow fleet operating in the Baltic Sea. These ships have been used to circumvent the oil embargo imposed after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In a speech to the Bundestag on May 12, the chancellor reaffirmed Germany’s unwavering support for Ukraine, vowing to strengthen the German military to become the “strongest conventional army in Europe.” The pledge aligns with Germany’s broader strategy to reassert its role in European defence and enhance deterrence capabilities amid rising geopolitical tensions.

A week ago, he took a train to Kyiv with the leaders of France and Britain to meet with president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an effort to show their joint solidarity with Ukraine and to send a signal to Washington.

By Sabina Mammadli