EU Adopts 18Th Package Of Sanctions Against Russia

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) BRUSSELS, July 18 (KUNA) -- The European Union (EU) announced on Friday the adoption of its 18th package of sanctions against Russia, in what it described as "one of the strongest packages adopted so far" as part of ongoing efforts to support Ukraine in its war against Russia.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas stated in a post on X that "We are standing firm," noting that the new sanctions package "directly targets the Kremlinآ's war budget" by going after 105 more vessels of the so-called Russian shadow fleet and their enablers, in addition to imposing further restrictions on Russian banksآ' access to international financing.
Kallas added that the package includes a "ban on the Nord Stream pipelines" and a "lower oil price cap," while also increasing pressure on Russiaآ's military industrial sector. The measures target "Chinese banks enabling sanctions evasion" and ban the export of technologies used in drones.
The EU official noted that, for the first time, the bloc has "designated a flag registry" and added "the biggest Rosneft refinery in India" to the sanctions list.
According to Kallas, the new sanctions also target "those indoctrinating Ukrainian children," affirming that the EU "will keep raising the costs so stopping the aggression becomes the only path forward for Moscow."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also welcomed the adoption of the new sanctions package in a post on X, stressing that it "strikes at the heart of Russiaآ's war machine." She said the measures focus on "the banking, energy, and military-industrial sectors" and include "a new dynamic oil price cap."
Von der Leyen concluded her remarks by stating that "the pressure is on. It will stay on until Putin ends this war," and thanked the Danish EU presidency for what she described as a "first success" in the latest round of sanctions.
It is worth noting that Slovakia had previously objected to a separate EU proposal aimed at phasing out imports of Russian gas by 1st of January 2028. Bratislava demanded a revision of the proposal before agreeing to the new sanctions package.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced the lifting of his countryآ's objection to the 18th sanctions package after receiving guarantees from the EU. (end)
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