EU Gears Up to Hit Russia with 19th Set of Sanctions
(MENAFN) The European Union is gearing up to develop its 19th set of sanctions against Russia, according to the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. She also cautioned strongly against making any “concessions” to Moscow in peace negotiations over the Ukraine conflict.
Kallas made these remarks Monday following an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers, convened ahead of the scheduled summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
“As far as Russia has not agreed to a full and unconditional ceasefire, we should not even discuss any concessions,” Kallas declared. She emphasized the need for “transatlantic unity” in dealing with the crisis.
Highlighting the importance of timing, she said: “The sequencing of the steps is important. First, an unconditional ceasefire with a strong monitoring system and ironclad security guarantees.” Kallas confirmed the EU “will work on a 19th package of sanctions.”
The announcement by the former Estonian prime minister, noted for her firm stance on Russia, comes shortly after the EU agreed on its 18th sanctions package targeting Moscow. That package, described by Kallas as “one of its strongest sanctions packages against Russia,” focused on the country’s banking and energy sectors and included blacklisting 105 vessels believed to be part of a “shadow fleet” transporting Russian oil in defiance of EU restrictions.
Moscow has strongly condemned the sanctions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Russia “repeatedly said that we consider such unilateral restrictions to be illegal.” He added that Russia has already built “a certain immunity” and adapted to life under sanctions, which he described as a “double-edged sword” creating “a negative effect” not only for Moscow but also for those imposing the measures.
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