The European Commission is preparing the twentieth sanctions package against the Russian Federation, which is expected to be adopted by the fourth anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to European diplomats, discussions on the new package may begin as early as next week among the member states of the European Union.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Enhancing sanctions against Russia’s “shadow fleet”
One of the key elements of the new package concerns strengthening measures against the so-called “shadow fleet” of Russian tankers, which continue to export oil under foreign flags, avoiding existing restrictions. It is expected that the sanctions could affect not only individual vessels but also the entire infrastructure servicing the tankers — that is, the companies and services that support their operations.
Sweden and Finland have proposed going further and imposing restrictions on the full range of maritime services for these vessels. This includes insurance, repairs, supply, and other types of support, which could potentially make it significantly more difficult for Russia to export oil by sea.
Support issues and key highlights
The final configuration of the 20th package has not yet been determined, as unanimous support from all EU member states is required for its adoption. Diplomats note that discussions are ongoing regarding expanding the list of organizations subject to restrictions, particularly concerning major Russian oil companies such as Rosneft and Lukoil. European partners are also seeking to align their actions with the US and the UK regarding sanctions against key Russian energy giants and transport companies.
“There is a proposal to ban maritime services, which could be significant, but overall it is about gradually increasing measures,” said one diplomat, who was not authorized to provide official comments to the media.
Another important topic for discussion remains the issue of combating the circumvention methods that Russia uses to avoid economic pressure from the EU.
At the same time, the EU’s special representative for sanctions, David O’Sullivan, emphasized that the capabilities of European countries to seize vessels of the “shadow fleet” are significantly limited by international maritime law, unlike the actions of the US.
It is worth noting that the previous, nineteenth sanctions package was approved by the European Union on October 23, 2025. It included strict economic measures in the areas of energy, finance, and trade aimed at reducing key sources of revenue for the Russian Federation and weakening its capabilities to wage war against Ukraine.