The European Council announced Monday that the European Union has officially extended its sectoral sanctions on Russia for another six months, citing the Kremlin’s continued destabilization of Ukraine.
In a written statement, the Council confirmed that the restrictive measures—initially imposed in 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and expanded after the 2022 full-scale conflict—will remain in place until 31 January 2026. The sanctions cover a broad range of sectors including trade, finance, energy, transport, technology, and luxury goods.
Key measures include a ban on Russian seaborne oil imports, the exclusion of major Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system, and the suspension of pro-Kremlin media operations within the EU. These steps, according to the Council, aim to weaken Russia’s ability to sustain its military campaign.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reaffirmed the bloc’s determination in a post on X, stating, “The EU today officially agreed to extend sectoral sanctions on Russia,” and added, “Each sanction weakens Russia’s ability to wage war.”
Kallas emphasized that the EU remains committed to “piling pressure” on Moscow until it ends its war on Ukraine.
