The European Union’s proposed 21st sanctions package against Russia could affect companies in Central Asia, including firms in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as Brussels moves to tighten controls on sanctions circumvention.
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have been named among the countries whose organisations may face new restrictions, although Brussels has yet to disclose which businesses could be affected.
Announcing the measures, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the bloc plans to intensify pressure on Moscow by targeting networks and structures used to bypass existing sanctions.
“Brick by brick, we are collapsing the foundations of Russia's war economy,” Kallas wrote on social media platform X. “Today, we are presenting our proposals for a 21st sanctions package against Russia. This includes a temporary freeze of the Russian oil price cap and designations of institutions used by Moscow to generate revenues and circumvent EU sanctions. It will target banks, weapons manufacturers, oil traders, refineries, and crypto operators in third countries.”
The package also includes additional export control measures affecting 50 companies worldwide that the EU says are linked to supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex.
More than 30 entities connected to drone production could be added to the sanctions list, alongside companies from China, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates and India, Kallas said.
However, the EU has not yet identified which companies from Central Asia could be included. The European Commission has also not published the list of entities under consideration, leaving the potential impact on businesses in the region unclear.
Alongside measures targeting foreign organisations, the proposed package includes restrictions on dozens of Russian banks, cryptocurrency platforms, oil sector companies and businesses linked to arms production. Brussels is also seeking to ban exports to Russia of certain metals, alloys, chemicals and components that could potentially be used in military manufacturing.
European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said the 21st sanctions package could be formally presented by 14 June. It would then require approval from all EU member states before coming into force.
This would not be the first time companies from Central Asia have been included in EU sanctions. In the bloc’s 20th package, Kazakhstan-based United Trading Group LLP was added to the list after EU authorities said it had supplied chemicals used in semiconductor wafer processing.
The same package also marked the first inclusion of entities from Kyrgyzstan. Keremet Bank and Capital Bank were placed under EU restrictions over concerns that they may have been used to bypass sanctions against Russia, including through the SPFS financial messaging system, which has been under EU sanctions since 2024.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy...
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s effor...
China’s GJ-21 carrier-based stealth reconnaissance and strike drone has completed its first take-off and landing on board the Sichuan, the co...
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
UN human rights experts comprising a group including Special Rapporteurs and independent experts who are part of the UN Human Rights Council, have criticised French authorities over their handling of nationwide student protests.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorities disputed the findings, while Japan urged continued support for farmers seeking alternative livelihoods.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
Georgia and Azerbaijan are stepping up efforts to boost trade, strengthen transport links between Asia and Europe and resolve a longstanding border dispute, as both countries seek to deepen their strategic partnership.
People travelling between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan could soon be able to pay for purchases using their usual banking apps. Central banks from the five countries are working on linking their national payment systems.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment