The EU has agreed a 21st sanctions package against Russia, which foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas describes as the largest in four years and designed to 'hit Putin where it hurts most.'
Key facts
- The EU has agreed its 21st sanctions package against Russia.
- Kaja Kallas called it 'the largest round in four years.'
- The measures target Russia's financial system, military-industrial complex and energy sector.
- Kallas said the sanctions aim to hit the sectors keeping Russia's war economy running.
The European Union has agreed a new package of sanctions against Russia, with foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas describing it as the most significant move of its kind in four years, according to the Guardian.
In a statement, Kallas said the bloc had agreed on its 21st sanctions package against Russia. She said the measures deliver ‘sweeping’ action targeting Moscow’s financial system, its military-industrial complex and its energy sector.
Kallas framed the package as an effort to undermine the resources sustaining Russia’s war effort, saying the targeted sectors are those that ‘keep Russia’s war economy running.’
She said the latest round of sanctions was ‘the largest round in four years’ and would ‘hit Putin where it hurts most,’ according to the Guardian’s live coverage.
The announcement adds to a series of sanctions packages the EU has rolled out in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Guardian reported the development as part of its live updates on European affairs.
Why it matters
Sanctions are one of the main tools the EU is using to pressure Russia over its war in Ukraine, and a package described as the largest in four years signals an escalation in economic measures. Targeting finance, the military-industrial base and energy aims to constrain the funding that sustains Russia's war economy.
Frequently asked questions
What does the EU's 21st sanctions package target?
According to Kaja Kallas, the package targets Russia's financial system, its military-industrial complex and its energy sector — the areas she said keep Russia's war economy running.
Who announced the new sanctions?
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced the agreement, calling it the largest sanctions round in four years.
How significant is this sanctions package?
Kallas described it as 'the largest round in four years' and said it would 'hit Putin where it hurts most.'