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.
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to suspend attacks on key energy infrastructure for 30 days, according to a statement published by the Kremlin on Tuesday.
Talks between Russia and the United States, described as intense yet productive, are set to continue with the involvement of the United Nations and other countries, according to Grigory Karasin, a member of the Russian delegation.
Russia has confirmed that the details of the talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia will not be made public, despite expectations for a joint statement to be released today.
Ukraine’s state-owned railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, reported that despite a cyberattack that knocked out its online ticketing system, rail traffic remained uninterrupted. The company quickly switched to backup systems, ensuring that trains continued operating without delay.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is going to visit Russia in May, his special assistant on international affairs Celso Amorim said.
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U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz admitted on Tuesday that he created the Signal chat where sensitive details about U.S. strikes on Yemen were shared — and called the episode “embarrassing.”
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will face a no-confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, marking an early test of the strength and unity of her ruling coalition after two days of fierce opposition scrutiny.
Signal president Meredith Whittaker has defended the platform’s security after senior Trump administration officials mistakenly included a journalist in a private Signal group chat discussing U.S. military action against Yemen’s Houthis.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated on Thursday that purchasing U.S. weapons does not pose a security risk for his country, but emphasized the need for Europe to reduce its reliance on American defense systems. His comments come amid growing discussions within Europe.
Mexican forces have dismantled a massive meth lab in Zacatecas, dealing a blow to a Sinaloa Cartel faction.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots, monitoring a Chinese navy warship as it navigated Australian waters, were alerted to a live-fire exercise via a civilian radio broadcast, defense officials revealed on Tuesday.
Serbia’s parliament has officially accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, setting a 30-day deadline for the formation of a new government or the calling of snap elections.
A devastating overnight drone attack on Kyiv, attributed to Russian forces, resulted in the deaths of three people, including a five-year-old child, and left ten others injured.
Kabul, Afghanistan - Climate change has become a critical destabilizing factor in Afghanistan, worsening the country's already severe economic and social instability.
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz admitted on Tuesday that he created the Signal chat where sensitive details about U.S. strikes on Yemen were shared — and called the episode “embarrassing.”
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will face a no-confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, marking an early test of the strength and unity of her ruling coalition after two days of fierce opposition scrutiny.
Signal president Meredith Whittaker has defended the platform’s security after senior Trump administration officials mistakenly included a journalist in a private Signal group chat discussing U.S. military action against Yemen’s Houthis.
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to suspend attacks on key energy infrastructure for 30 days, according to a statement published by the Kremlin on Tuesday.
As the world shifts toward clean energy at an ever-accelerating pace, large economies are scrambling to secure reliable supply chains for rare earth minerals. These minerals, once seen as mere industrial components, have become a political tool in the global power struggle
Kabul, Afghanistan - Climate change has become a critical destabilizing factor in Afghanistan, worsening the country's already severe economic and social instability.
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz admitted on Tuesday that he created the Signal chat where sensitive details about U.S. strikes on Yemen were shared — and called the episode “embarrassing.”
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will face a no-confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, marking an early test of the strength and unity of her ruling coalition after two days of fierce opposition scrutiny.
Signal president Meredith Whittaker has defended the platform’s security after senior Trump administration officials mistakenly included a journalist in a private Signal group chat discussing U.S. military action against Yemen’s Houthis.
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