EU envoys on Wednesday agreed on a 16th package of sanctions against Russia, EU diplomats said, including a ban on primary aluminium imports, sales of gaming consoles and the listing of 73 shadow fleet vessels.
The package, which largely sticks to the European Commission's proposal, is expected to be adopted by EU foreign ministers on Monday to mark the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"The EU is clamping down even harder on circumvention by targeting more vessels in Putin’s shadow fleet and imposing new import and export bans," Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on social media platform X.
The aluminium import ban will be phased in a year from the official adoption of the package, which also adds 48 individuals and 35 entities to its sanctions list that includes asset freezes and a travel ban, the diplomats said.
Progress on the latest EU sanctions comes after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said on Tuesday it had agreed to hold more talks with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine after an initial meeting that excluded Kyiv - a departure from Washington's previous approach that rallied U.S. allies to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The EU along with other Western powers has been ratcheting up restrictions in recent months to squeeze Russia's oil exports. In addition to the vessels, the envoys agreed to prohibit transactions with ports and airports in Russia used to circumvent the Group of Seven price cap on Russian oil.
The newly sanctioned ships will be added to the already listed 79 ships, mainly tankers, used by Russia to sell oil outside the price cap or vessels that help in Moscow's war effort such as shipping ammunition from North Korea.
The package also expands the criteria the EU will be able to use to sanction owners and operators of the shadow fleet, including captains, as well as those providing support to the military.
Sales of video game consoles, joysticks and flight simulators would also be restricted as they could be used by Russia's military to control drones, one of the diplomats said.
Other bans include exports of chromium and certain chemicals as well as a service ban for oil and gas refineries.
China, Russia and Iran held a joint meeting with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday, focusing on Iran’s nuclear programme.
In a significant development for Afghanistan-Russia relations, Zamir Kabulov, Special Envoy of the Russian President, held high-level talks with Taliban officials in Kabul, signaling a further warming of ties between the two nations.
Russia and Türkiye will hold consultations on the Middle East, including Syria and Palestine, on 25th April in Istanbul, according to a Turkish Foreign Ministry source speaking to TASS.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has firmly rejected claims that the Trump administration is considering lifting sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline as part of negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
President Donald Trump called on Vladimir Putin to halt missile strikes on Kyiv, urging a return to peace talks amid rising casualties.
Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered the arrest of former President Fernando Collor de Mello after rejecting his appeals against a corruption conviction, with a ruling from 2023 sentencing him to nearly nine years in prison for money laundering and bribery.
The U.S. military said a missile explosion that killed at least a dozen people near a UNESCO site in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, was caused by a Houthi-fired weapon, not an American airstrike, countering local claims and intensifying scrutiny over the rising civilian toll in the conflict.
The United States is set to host an energy summit in Alaska in early June, where President Donald Trump’s administration hopes Japan and South Korea will commit to the $44 billion Alaska LNG project, a major energy initiative aimed at expanding U.S. gas exports to Asia.
A large-scale missile and drone strike hit Kyiv overnight, killing at least 12 people in what Ukrainian officials called the most significant attack on the capital this year, as diplomatic efforts to reach a resolution continue.
Harvard University’s endowment is in advanced talks to sell about $1 billion in private equity fund interests, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
China has rolled out the world’s first 10-gigabit (10G) fixed broadband network in Xiong'an New Area, promising ultra-fast speeds and low latency through cutting-edge optical infrastructure.
The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
Pope Francis's relationship with Azerbaijan has evolved significantly over the years, characterized by diplomatic exchanges, promotion of religious tolerance, and peace advocacy in the Caucasus region.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
China’s pivot away from U.S. liquefied petroleum gas under new tariffs is shaking global energy flows, slashing demand, and fuelling a scramble for alternatives across Asia, with Middle Eastern suppliers and rival buyers seizing the moment.
Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered the arrest of former President Fernando Collor de Mello after rejecting his appeals against a corruption conviction, with a ruling from 2023 sentencing him to nearly nine years in prison for money laundering and bribery.
The U.S. military said a missile explosion that killed at least a dozen people near a UNESCO site in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, was caused by a Houthi-fired weapon, not an American airstrike, countering local claims and intensifying scrutiny over the rising civilian toll in the conflict.
The United States is set to host an energy summit in Alaska in early June, where President Donald Trump’s administration hopes Japan and South Korea will commit to the $44 billion Alaska LNG project, a major energy initiative aimed at expanding U.S. gas exports to Asia.
A large-scale missile and drone strike hit Kyiv overnight, killing at least 12 people in what Ukrainian officials called the most significant attack on the capital this year, as diplomatic efforts to reach a resolution continue.
Harvard University’s endowment is in advanced talks to sell about $1 billion in private equity fund interests, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered the arrest of former President Fernando Collor de Mello after rejecting his appeals against a corruption conviction, with a ruling from 2023 sentencing him to nearly nine years in prison for money laundering and bribery.
The U.S. military said a missile explosion that killed at least a dozen people near a UNESCO site in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, was caused by a Houthi-fired weapon, not an American airstrike, countering local claims and intensifying scrutiny over the rising civilian toll in the conflict.
The United States is set to host an energy summit in Alaska in early June, where President Donald Trump’s administration hopes Japan and South Korea will commit to the $44 billion Alaska LNG project, a major energy initiative aimed at expanding U.S. gas exports to Asia.
A large-scale missile and drone strike hit Kyiv overnight, killing at least 12 people in what Ukrainian officials called the most significant attack on the capital this year, as diplomatic efforts to reach a resolution continue.
Harvard University’s endowment is in advanced talks to sell about $1 billion in private equity fund interests, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
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