EU Joins US in New Sanctions to Pressure Russia Over Ukraine War/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The European Union has joined the United States in imposing new sanctions on Russia, targeting oil, gas, and technology sectors to pressure Moscow into peace talks over Ukraine. The coordinated move follows Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities and strategic nuclear drills ordered by President Putin. Despite mounting pressure, Russia has dismissed the sanctions as ineffective and shows no sign of backing down.
Quick Look (Bullet Summary)
- Sanctions Announced: EU bans Russian LNG imports, adds 100+ tankers to the port blacklist.
- Coordinated Effort: Follows U.S. sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil announced by President Trump.
- Zelenskyy’s Reaction: Ukrainian president welcomes sanctions, calls for more global action.
- Russian Response: Kremlin dismisses sanctions as “painful but not deadly.”
- Wider Scope: New EU measures also target cryptocurrency, payment systems, AI, and military-use materials.
- Ongoing War: Russian drones strike Kyiv and Kharkiv; Ukraine retaliates with drone attacks on Russian refineries.
- Nuclear Drill: Putin directs strategic nuclear exercises amid heightened tensions.
- More Coming: Further sanctions expected after EU summit and Coalition of the Willing meeting in London.
EU Joins U.S. in Expanding Sanctions on Russia to Push Peace Talks in Ukraine
October 23, 2025– Deep Look
BRUSSELS — The European Union on Thursday imposed a fresh wave of economic sanctions on Russia, bolstering U.S. efforts led by President Donald Trump to squeeze Moscow’s ability to finance its ongoing war in Ukraine and to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into engaging in meaningful peace negotiations.
The latest round of EU sanctions follows a new U.S. sanctions package targeting Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil. Together, these measures mark one of the most coordinated efforts yet by Western powers to curb Russia’s economic lifelines and military capabilities.
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the news as a much-needed show of solidarity, Russian officials and state-controlled media quickly dismissed the moves as ineffective and politically motivated.
New EU Sanctions Target Energy and Tech Sectors
The EU’s latest measures zero in on the backbone of Russia’s economy: its energy and industrial sectors. The sanctions include:
- A ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas into EU member states.
- Port bans on over 100 additional ships believed to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” used to bypass earlier sanctions. This brings the total number of banned ships to 557.
- New restrictions on Russian cryptocurrency transactions used to avoid sanctions.
- Prohibitions on Russian payment systems operating in the EU.
- Bans on the export of AI services, high-performance computing tools, and key industrial materials such as electronic components, chemicals, and metals critical to military production.
- A new travel restriction framework to limit the movement of Russian diplomats within the 27-nation EU bloc.
Zelenskyy, speaking at the summit in Brussels, expressed gratitude and called on other countries to follow suit.
“This is a good signal to other countries in the world to join the sanctions,” he said. “We waited for this. God bless, it will work. And this is very important.”
International oil markets reacted swiftly. Crude oil prices rose by more than $2 per barrel amid fears of further supply disruptions stemming from the sanctions.
Moscow’s Response: Dismissal and Defiance
Russia responded with a familiar tone of defiance. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the new U.S. sanctions “entirely counterproductive,” claiming they would only hinder efforts to find a negotiated settlement.
“If the current U.S. administration follows the example of its predecessors, who attempted to coerce or force Russia into sacrificing its national interests through unlawful sanctions, the result will be exactly the same — disastrous from a domestic political standpoint and detrimental to the stability of the global economy,” Zakharova said.
Pro-Kremlin media outlets echoed similar sentiments. The tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda dismissed the sanctions as futile. Meanwhile, RIA Novosti stated in a commentary that the new measures are “painful, as usual, but not deadly.”
Western analysts have also raised questions about the long-term effectiveness of sanctions. Despite severe restrictions on its financial and energy sectors, Russia’s economy has remained relatively resilient, although recent data indicates growing pressure.
Western Coordination and Trump’s Role
The rollout of new sanctions follows a period of intense behind-the-scenes diplomacy. EU officials have been negotiating the latest package for nearly a month, reflecting the difficulty of achieving consensus among the bloc’s 27 member nations. With this latest action, the EU has now enacted 19 sanctions packages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
The United States’ sanctions, announced Wednesday, marked a significant escalation. In addition to targeting Rosneft and Lukoil, the sanctions prohibit transactions with dozens of affiliated entities and freeze assets within U.S. jurisdiction. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the move was designed to deprive the Kremlin of revenue used to sustain the war.
President Trump said he hoped the sanctions would push both sides closer to negotiations but acknowledged skepticism over whether Putin was ready to compromise.
“Hopefully he’ll become reasonable,” Trump said. “And hopefully Zelenskyy will be reasonable, too. It takes two to tango.”
Trump also postponed a planned summit with Putin in Budapest, stating he didn’t want to “waste time” if the Russian president wasn’t prepared to engage in serious talks.
Putin Orders Nuclear Drills as Conflict Intensifies
While the diplomatic track remains stalled, the military situation on the ground continues to deteriorate. On Wednesday, President Putin oversaw strategic nuclear force drills in what appeared to be a message to NATO and the West. Russian state television showed Putin directing the exercises via video link with top military officials.
Meanwhile, both sides continued trading deadly drone and missile attacks.
Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces launched a so-called “double-tap” drone strike on a village in the Kharkiv region, targeting rescue personnel by striking the same location twice in quick succession. One emergency worker was killed and five others were injured, according to local authorities.
Kyiv’s prosecutor’s office confirmed that Russian drones attacked three city districts, injuring at least eight people.
In response, Ukrainian forces launched retaliatory drone strikes. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 139 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight across various Russian regions and in annexed Crimea. Unverified reports also indicated Ukrainian strikes on an oil refinery and a key energy facility deep within Russian territory.
Outlook: Sanctions and Battlefield Pressure
As the war drags into its fourth year, Western leaders are increasingly relying on economic pressure and long-range weaponry to alter Putin’s calculus. Analysts note that both sanctions and military setbacks may eventually drive Russia toward negotiations, but the timeline remains uncertain.
While Zelenskyy and Western officials continue to emphasize unity and pressure, the Kremlin’s defiance and willingness to escalate — militarily and rhetorically — suggest that peace remains elusive.
European leaders are expected to continue discussing additional measures in the coming weeks, and the Coalition of the Willing — a group of over 30 countries supporting Ukraine — is set to meet Friday in London to coordinate further support.
For now, the hope in Brussels and Washington is that the combined weight of sanctions and international isolation will eventually shift the Kremlin’s position.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.