Kallas plans unprecedented expansion of sanctions against Russia this autumn
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has announced she will present the broadest sanctions package against Russia since the war began this autumn, potentially increasing the list of sanctioned entities by a third.
The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, has said she plans to propose the most extensive sanctions package against Russia since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine. She made the announcement in an interview with the German newspaper "Die Welt", published on Monday.
According to Kallas, if the new package is approved, the number of Russian individuals and entities under sanctions would increase by a third. Currently, according to European Commission data, sanctions target around 3,000 individuals and organizations.
Previous package was weaker than planned
Since February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU has adopted 21 rounds of sanctions. The most recent one was approved a few weeks ago, but after lengthy negotiations among member states, it turned out less strict than originally intended, as some countries objected to certain tougher measures.
Impact of the sanctions
Kallas noted that the sanctions imposed so far have already deprived Russia's war machine of more than a trillion euros. The autumn package is expected to be the broadest step yet since the war began, though its final scope will still depend on negotiations among EU member states, some of which have so far been cautious about tougher measures.
