The European Commission welcomed EU Member States’ adoption of the 19th package of sanctions against Russia, designed to increase pressure on Russia’s war economy across energy, finance, trade, the military-industrial base, special economic zones and sanctions enablers, while strengthening anti-circumvention tools. The package introduces a phased ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, further restrictions on the shadow fleet, and expanded financial measures that for the first time include prohibitions linked to a specific cryptocurrency. On energy, Russian LNG imports will be banned from 1 January 2027 for long-term contracts and within six months of the sanctions’ entry into force for short-term contracts, and Rosneft and Gazprom Neft will be subject to a full transaction ban that removes the exemption for their oil and gas imports into the EU, with exemptions for certain third-country oil imports and Oil Price Cap-compliant transport to third countries. The EU added 117 vessels to the shadow-fleet list, taking the total to 557 vessels subject to port access and services bans, and imposed additional sanctions across the shadow-fleet value chain including Litasco Middle East DMCC and two oil trading companies in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, alongside an import ban on a variant of liquefied petroleum gas used for circumvention, additional prohibitions on energy-related scientific and technical services, and an extension of the port infrastructure ban to enable listings of third-country ports. Financial measures add five Russian banks to the transaction ban, prohibit use of Russia’s Mir payment card and SBP fast payment system and list four additional institutions in Belarus and Kazakhstan using SPFS, while crypto-related actions include sanctions on the developer and issuer of the rouble-backed stablecoin A7A5 and a related trading platform, a first-time prohibition on use of that cryptocurrency, and measures targeting a Paraguay-based exchange, combined with bans on EU operators providing specified crypto and fintech services and new transaction bans on five third-country banks in Central Asia. Trade and listing measures include expanded export restrictions on dual-use items and advanced technologies, new export bans on goods worth EUR 155 million at 2024 prices, the addition of 45 entities linked to support for Russia’s military-industrial complex or sanctions circumvention, and 69 further listings subject to asset freezes and, for individuals, travel bans, as well as tighter service bans including on certain space-based and AI services, limits on contracting with entities in specified Russian special economic zones, restrictions on re-insurance related to Russian government vessels and aircraft for up to five years after sale to third countries, and new measures on Russian diplomats’ intra-EU travel and listings related to Ukrainian children. The package mirrors certain provisions in the Belarus sanctions regime and includes five new Belarus-related listings.

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