EU prepares new major sanctions package against Russia

The European Union is preparing a new, comprehensive package of sanctions against Russia. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas announced this in an interview published in the German newspaper Die Welt on August 17.

According to Kallas, "this autumn I will present the most extensive list of sanctions since the beginning of the war. If it is adopted, the number of Russian individuals, companies and organizations subject to sanctions will increase from three to one." According to the European Commission, there are currently about 3,000 individuals and legal entities on the EU's sanctions list against Russia. Kallas stressed the need to increase pressure on Russia until it ends the war.

The head of EU diplomacy expressed hope that the positions of the United States and Europe on the issue of sanctions will again converge. In her opinion, the introduction of legislative initiatives in the US Senate aimed at strengthening sanctions against Russia could serve as a basis for this.

Kallas also assessed the 21 sanctions packages adopted against Russia since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine as successful. She noted that the EU sanctions have caused huge economic losses for Russia. Kallas claimed that these measures have damaged Russia's military capabilities by more than one trillion euros.

During the interview, Kallas accused Russia of carrying out "systemic terror" against Ukraine. According to her, the Russian army is intensifying attacks on Ukrainian cities, civilians and infrastructure. Kallas also cited data from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission. According to her, July was the month with the highest number of casualties for the Ukrainian civilian population since May 2022.

The head of EU diplomacy also said that attacks on grain ships in the Black Sea pose a threat to global food supplies. She stressed that Ukraine's allies should not allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to achieve his goals.

Kallas also noted the growing threat of hybrid threats in Europe. She attributed most of the sabotage, espionage and cyberattacks to Moscow. She cited the incident with a drone at Leipzig airport as well as the incursions of Russian missiles and drones into Polish and Romanian airspace.

"They are testing our resolve and testing our defenses. We cannot allow such incidents. If we respond too weakly, we will see such incidents increase," Kallas said. She believes that Germany's plans to reform its intelligence services will also play a role in Europe's ability to more effectively counter hybrid threats.