Washington (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called on the European Union to impose a 20th round of sanctions on Russia to curb its military aggression in Ukraine.
As reported, the EU is getting ready to announce its 20th sanctions package against Russia. The previous 19th package went into effect in October. No specific details about the new measures have been shared. Actions against the Russian shadow fleet and more energy companies are likely, according to diplomats in Brussels.
Why is Estonia urging rapid adoption of the 20th package?
Speaking in Washington, Tsahkna stated that Moscow largely sustains its war efforts through fossil fuel revenues and by obtaining technology and components through third countries.
“To stop the aggression, the international community must continue exerting pressure and impose further sanctions,”
he said, highlighting that previous EU sanctions have been substantial, but the 20th package is necessary to raise the financial burden of the war on Russia. Tsahkna also urged that sanctions be paired with unrestricted use of frozen Russian assets.
“However, our goal is to implement the 20th package as soon as possible, which will make the cost of the war for Russia even higher,” Tsahkna said.
On the other hand, earlier, Estonia threatened to block the EU’s 18th sanctions package against Russia. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said at that time that the bloc must agree to lower the oil price cap from $60 to $45 per barrel.
“We are in a very clear position that the oil price cap must be part of this package,”
Tsahkna said, adding that reducing the cap would be “the most powerful element” in the EU’s attempt to curb Moscow’s energy revenues.
Why did Estonia threaten to block the 18th sanction package?
The EU’s existing cap, established in 2022 when oil prices exceeded $100 per barrel, prevents EU-flagged ships from transporting Russian crude sold above that limit. It also bans EU-based insurers and service providers from engaging with these shipments. Currently, oil is trading at approximately $69 per barrel.
Tsahkna also criticised attempts by some member states to weaken the proposed package. The Estonian news outlet Delfi reports that Mediterranean countries with significant shipping industries—especially Malta—have lobbied to remove the oil price cap from the agreement.
How are the EU and the US coordinating sanctions enforcement?
The EU institutions and the US are cooperating to strengthen anti-Russian sanctions and counter Russia’s shadow fleet, said French President Emmanuel Macron. He expressed hope that the war could end by 2027.
The EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia is in development and will be ready within a month, President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced on Nov. 9. Zelensky stated that Kyiv will propose targeting Russian legal entities and individuals that continue to profit from energy resources in this package.
