The European Union has agreed on the 17th package of sanctions against Russia, said president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
The EU has approved a fresh package of sanctions on Russia, targeting its “shadow” fleet as Europe threatens further punishment if Moscow does not agree to a 30-day Ukraine ceasefire.
The package includes blacklisting some 200 oil tankers allegedly used to circumvent curbs on Russian oil exports.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the approval of further sanctions against Russia, emphasizing that the EU will continue to put pressure on the Kremlin to end the war.
“I welcome the agreement on our 17th sanctions package against Russia. We are further restricting access to battlefield technology. And we have listed an additional 189 shadow fleet vessels to target Russia’s energy exports,” she wrote on X on Wednesday.
“This war has to end. We will keep the pressure high on the Kremlin,” the European Commission head added.
Officials admit that the latest round of sanctions against Moscow are relatively limited compared to previous packages. However, EU leaders have threatened Russia with “massive sanctions” if it doesn’t agree to a ceasefire proposal backed by the United States.
The agreement comes ahead of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey. The EU and the U.S. have now turned their attention to Turkey, which is expected to host direct Ukraine-Russia talks. The exact time when the negotiations will start has not been determined.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived yesterday in Ankara, Turkey where he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Zelenskyy in a short post on social media X accused Moscow of not taking efforts to end the war seriously.
As it is reported from the Ukrainian side, the country is represented by a top-level delegation – the ministry of foreign affairs, Zelenskyy’s office, the military, and representatives of all the intelligence agencies, “ready to make any decisions that could lead to a long-awaited just peace.”
Vladimir Putin held earlier a meeting on preparations for the talks with Ukraine ahead of the Russian delegation’s departure to Istanbul.
“I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing,” said the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a post on X earlier this week.
“We also hear that President Trump is considering attending the meeting in Türkiye. That could become the strongest argument. This week really may change a lot — but only may. Everything is being decided right now,” the Ukrainian president added.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, together with his Nordic and Baltic counterparts, called on Russia to agree to a full, unconditional and immediate 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.
“We call on Russia to agree to an unconditional and immediate 30-day ceasefire,” said the Prime Minister. “This is the first step towards a just and lasting peace,” he added.
“President Zelenskyy has repeatedly shown his sincere desire for peace and is ready to meet Putin face to face,” said Michal. “Pressure on Russia must increase to stop the killings,” the Prime Minister stressed.
“If the ceasefire is not respected, the European Union, together with the US and other partners, will have to impose additional sanctions on Russia,” he explained.
