EU prepares new blow to Russian energy sector: 19th package of sanctions approved
19 September 15:01
The European Commission has adopted the 19th package of sanctions against Russia. This was announced by the EC spokeswoman Paula Pinho, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to her, a statement will be made later by President Ursula von der Leyen together with EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas.
What do the restrictions imply?
According to Bloomberg and Reuters, the new package will include:
- restrictions on Russian “shadow” ships;
- a ban on reinsurance of tankers and restrictions against oil traders in third countries;
- sanctions against Rosneft, Lukoil and other major players in the Russian energy market;
- export bans on dual-use goods and chemicals that can be used in the military industry;
- trade restrictions for foreign companies, including Chinese, that supply these goods;
- sanctions against artificial intelligence technologies with military applications.
For the first time – against Kazakhstan
The EU is also planning to impose sanctions on Kazakhstan for the first time to block the re-export of goods that Russia can use for weapons production.
Energy front
Among the key issues are restrictions on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG). According to media reports, the United States insisted that the EU should stop importing LNG from Russia as soon as possible.
Context
In July 2025, the EU adopted the 18th package of sanctions. The restrictions affected 14 people and 41 organizations, and the price ceiling for crude oil from Russia was reduced from $60 to $47.6 per barrel. Ukraine has repeatedly called for such a step.
Why it is important
The new package signals that the EU is trying to cut off not only the Kremlin’s direct sources of income, but also “gray schemes” to circumvent sanctions, in particular through third parties. The sanctions against Kazakhstan could set a precedent for other countries that help Moscow avoid restrictions.
