EU leaders agree on new sanctions against Russia

The European Union has reacted in a swift, strong and unified manner to the military action taken by Russian in Ukraine on Thursday 24 February. On the same, a special meeting of the European Council agreed on further restrictive measures that will have massive and severe consequences for Russia. At the start of the meeting, the EU leaders spoke remotely with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.

The new sanctions cover the financial, energy and transport sectors, dual-use goods, export financing and visa policy. Additionally, the list of individuals targeted by sanctions has been expanded to cover new Russian citizens. The details of the sanctions will be made public and will enter into force once approved by the Council and published in the Official Journal of the European Union. This will be done swiftly.

“We strongly condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people. Together with our closest allies, we support Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia’s ruthless attack on Ukraine is also an attack on the entire international rules-based security order, and we will respond strongly to Russia’s actions. We are prepared to discuss further sanctions in addition to the sanctions decided today”, said Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who represented Finland at the meeting.

The EU imposed sanctions earlier in the week in response to the recognition by Russia of the separatist Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Eastern Ukraine as independent entities. These sanctions, which were agreed by the ministers for foreign affairs on Tuesday 22 February, entered into force the next day.

The EU has imposed and gradually expanded sanctions against Russia in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine since March 2014.

Inquiries: Jari Luoto, State Under-Secretary for European Affairs, tel. +358 50 468 5949, Tuulia Pitkänen, Special Adviser (EU Affairs), tel. +358 295 160 231, Kare Halonen, State Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 319, and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office