The European Union has imposed fresh sanctions on Russia, targeting the country’s ‘shadow fleet’ of ships used to circumvent oil sales restrictions, as Ukraine truce talks gain momentum.
The European Union has adopted its 17th package of sanctions on Russia, targeting the country’s ‘shadow fleet’ of ships used to circumvent oil sales restrictions. The new measures aim to put more pressure on Russia and encourage it to pursue a ceasefire in Ukraine.
The European Union has implemented economic sanctions on Russia in response to its actions in Ukraine.
The sanctions target key sectors such as finance, energy, and defense.
EU member states have also imposed travel bans on Russian officials and frozen their assets.
The measures aim to pressure Russia into de-escalating the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Since 2014, multiple rounds of sanctions have been implemented, with some restrictions lifted and others tightened.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas has called for the United States to take strong action against Russia if it does not agree to an unconditional ceasefire. ‘America said that if Russia doesn’t agree on an unconditional ceasefire, then there are going to be consequences.’, so we want to see those consequences, also from the US side.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has expressed skepticism about Russia’s commitment to a ceasefire. He stated that ‘Putin is only paying lip service’ to peace talks and that the frequency of attacks on Ukrainian cities says more about Russia’s intentions than any verbal assurances.
The new EU sanctions target nearly 200 ships in Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’, which are often dilapidated, uninsured, and have unclear ownership. The measures aim to disrupt Russia’s ability to evade oil sales restrictions and put pressure on the country to negotiate a ceasefire.
Despite ongoing tensions, potential ceasefire talks between Ukraine and Russia are again in the spotlight. After a two-hour phone call with US President ‘Donald Trump‘, Putin stated that Moscow is ‘ready to work’ with the Ukrainians on a peace agreement. However, many details remain unclear, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected demands to withdraw troops from regions partially occupied by Russia.
The Ukraine-Russia ceasefire talks have been ongoing since 2015, with multiple attempts to establish a lasting peace.
The conflict began in 2014 when 'Russia annexed Crimea,' leading to a full-scale war in eastern Ukraine.
According to the United Nations, over 13,000 people have been killed and 1.5 million displaced.
In 2020, a new ceasefire agreement was signed, but fighting continues in some areas.
The talks involve multiple parties, including Ukraine, Russia, 'France' (implied), and 'Germany' (implied).
