The European Commission published an overview of the Council’s 19th package of sanctions against Russia, tightening restrictions across energy, finance, trade and services and expanding listings, with measures aimed at limiting Russia’s war-related revenues and strengthening anti-circumvention tools. Energy measures include a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, applying from 1 January 2027 for long-term contracts and within six months of the sanctions’ entry into force for short-term contracts, alongside a full transaction ban on Rosneft and Gazprom Neft that removes exemptions for their oil and gas imports into the EU while exempting certain third-country oil imports and Oil Price Cap-compliant transport to third countries. The package adds 117 vessels to the shadow fleet list, bringing the total to 557 subject to port access and services bans, extends the port infrastructure ban to enable listings of third-country ports, and introduces further prohibitions on energy-related services including certain scientific and technical services. Financial measures add five Russian banks to a transaction ban, ban Russia’s Mir payment card and SBP fast payment system, list four financial institutions in Belarus and Kazakhstan that use the Russian SPFS system, and impose new crypto-related restrictions including sanctions on the developer and issuer of the rouble-backed stablecoin A7A5 and a related platform, a prohibition on use of that cryptocurrency, and targeting of a Paraguay-based exchange cited as enabling circumvention; EU operators are also barred from providing specified crypto and fintech services, and transaction bans apply to five third-country banks in Central Asia. Trade and listing measures expand export restrictions on dual-use items and advanced technologies, add new export bans on certain goods valued at EUR 155 million (2024 prices), list 45 additional entities for military-industrial support or circumvention, and add 69 individuals and entities to asset-freeze and funds-availability prohibitions, including 11 individuals linked to the abduction and forced assimilation of Ukrainian children and a new listing criterion to support future designations. Other measures introduce restrictions linked to Russian special economic zones, new service bans including certain space-based and AI services, a prior authorisation requirement for any non-prohibited services to the Russian government, a re-insurance prohibition for certain Russian-related vessels and aircraft for up to five years after sale to third countries, and new obligations affecting travel by Russian diplomats across the EU; parts of the package are mirrored in the Belarus regime, including five new Belarus-related listings.

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