Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Union decided on February 19, 2025, to impose a new round of sanctions against Russia amid Donald Trump’s push for talks on Ukraine’s fate.
As reported by Euronews, the consent among EU ambassadors was deliberately scheduled to arrive in the run-up to the invasion’s third anniversary, which the College of Commissioners is assigned to mark with a joint visit to Kyiv. It denotes the 16th package of restrictive measures since February 2022.
The new sanctions raise a prohibition on imports of Russian primary aluminium. This concept was discussed in the past but never authorised due to the reluctance of some member states who worried about its economic impact.
How will the EU’s aluminium ban impact Russia’s economy?
Kremlin-unwrought aluminium makes up 6% of the EU’s aluminium imports, a share that has fallen over the past years as European producers distance themselves from Russian suppliers. The European Union had already prohibited certain aluminium-made products arriving from Moscow, such as tubes, wires and pipes, though these only made up for a pinch of purchases.
What are the key measures in the EU’s 16th sanctions package?
Moreover, Euronews reported that, in addition to the raw metal, the new package of sanctions widens the blacklist against tankers connected to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which Moscow has deployed to avoid Western restrictions on oil trade and preserve a source of income that is necessary to support the war on Ukraine.
Diplomats have confirmed that the fresh raft of EU sanctions blacklists 73 ships suspected of being the domain of the “shadow fleet.” As a result, the total number of ships blacklisted has grown to over 150 vessels.
Also, the EU’s legal text has been modified to authorise the blacklisting of proprietors and operators of “shadow fleet” ships, including captains. Further, the new sanctions banish 13 Russian banks from the SWIFT electronic system and discontinued the broadcasting licences of eight Russian media outlets.
Are Trump’s proposed concessions to Russia at odds with EU policy?
On the other hand, Trump’s secretary of state, Marco Rubio, indicated that Europe would eventually be invited to the talks to examine sanctions relief for Russia.
“There are other parties that have sanctions, the European Union is going to have to be at the table at some point because they have sanctions as well that have been imposed,”
Rubio stated after sitting with his Russian counterpart in KSA.
Rubio emphasised concessions on “all sides” would have to be made. When questioned about Europe’s exclusion from the process, he answered:
“No one is being sidelined.”
