During a meeting of the foreign ministers of European Union countries, the issue of introducing the 19th sanctions package against the Russian Federation was raised. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU has already approved 18 packages of restrictive measures.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Diplomatic Positions on the New Sanctions Package
As noted by several diplomats on condition of anonymity, some EU member states expressed support for starting work on preparing the next sanctions package. However, according to one participant in the discussions, the process is lengthy and complex, and a final decision is still far off. Another diplomat confirmed that no specific proposals regarding the content of the new sanctions package have been discussed yet.
“Several states indicated that we should start working on the 19th package – indeed. However, it’s quite a distant bridge that needs to be crossed,” noted one of the interlocutors familiar with the discussions.
One diplomat added that the discussions were rather routine and did not bring any innovative ideas for further increasing pressure on Russia. According to him, European approaches remain unchanged — “nothing without Ukraine and Europe,” but this does not provide a new impetus for finding solutions.
Ukraine’s Expectations and the Position of World Leaders
Ukraine hopes that the 19th EU sanctions package will target individuals linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, representatives of the military-industrial complex, and financial operations of the aggressor country. This was stated at the end of July by Vladislav Vasyuk, advisor and authorized representative of the President of Ukraine on sanctions policy.
On August 11, an extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers was convened by the union’s chief diplomat, Kaia Kallas. The meeting was prompted by preparations for the summit of the leaders of Russia and the US in Alaska, scheduled for August 15. The agenda includes the war in Ukraine and the search for ways to end it.
Donald Trump suggested on August 11 the possibility of a certain “exchange of territories” between Ukraine and Russia, and also criticized the Ukrainian authorities for requiring constitutional approval for such decisions.
At the same time, according to international media reports, Vladimir Putin told Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, about his readiness for a ceasefire if Ukraine completely withdraws its troops from the Donetsk region. However, sources from The Washington Post indicate that the Russian president refuses to abandon claims to the occupied territories in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy categorically stated that Ukraine will not agree to any territorial concessions to Russia. Neither he nor European leaders were invited to the upcoming summit in Alaska. However, the US administration and President Donald Trump remain in contact with Ukrainian and European leaders. A joint video conference initiated by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled for August 13.