New sanctions package against Russia
Germany - Federal Government
Further tightening
The EU Member States have agreed on a 17th package of sanctions against Russia. Through this, the European Union is sending a further signal of its determination to Russia.
Tuesday, 20 May 2025
On 20 May, the EU adopted the 17th package of sanctions against Russia. This package aims to cut off Russia's access to key military technology and significantly reduce revenues from the energy sector that are financing the war against Ukraine.
One particular focus is the so-called "shadow fleet" of Russian oil tankers, as well as their operators and a large Russian oil company. In addition, this package of sanctions is part of a more comprehensive package of EU measures.
It is also directed against Russia's hybrid activities, human rights violations domestically and the use of police violence by Russian forces in Ukraine, which are dealt with under three further sanctions regimes.
Measures against Russian shadow fleet
The EU has adopted its largest package of sanctions to date against the so-called Russian "shadow fleet". The number of ships affected has doubled, meaning that 342 tankers are now subject to port access bans and service bans. These ships transport Russian oil in risky and unregulated conditions, thereby supporting Russia's energy sector. The aim of the measures is to destroy the operational capacity of this fleet and thus reduce the oil revenues that finance Russia's war economy.
In addition, the EU is imposing targeted individual sanctions on companies and players that enable the shadow fleet. These include shipping companies from the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Hong Kong, as well as a major insurance company in the Russian oil transport industry. Since the introduction of EU sanctions and the oil price cap, Russian revenues have fallen considerably - by a total of 38 billion euros.
Military economy
The EU is imposing sanctions on over 45 Russian companies and individuals that support the Russian military with drones, weapons, ammunition, equipment and key components. In addition, Russian and Chinese players who supply machine tools to the Russian military and industrial sectors are being targeted. Supporters from third countries are also being sanctioned.
In addition, the EU is expanding its export restrictions on so-called dual-use goods and technologies in order to further restrict Russia's military infrastructure. 31 new units are listed due to the circumvention of existing trade bans. In addition, the EU is tightening its measures against the export of goods that strengthen Russia's defence and security sector, including chemical precursors for energy materials and spare parts for machine tools.
Energy sector
The EU is imposing further sanctions against "Surgutneftegaz", one of the most important Russian oil companies, which generates considerable revenue for the Russian government and thus contributes directly to the war effort. In addition, a major Russian oil transport company has been placed on the sanctions list.
Individual sanctions
The EU has added a further 75 individuals and organisations to its sanctions list - a total of over 2,400 individuals and companies are now affected. These measures include the freezing of assets and a ban on EU citizens and companies providing financial resources. In addition, natural persons are subject to travel restrictions and may not enter or transit through the EU.
You can find a detailed overview of the EU sanctions against Russia on the European Council website.
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