EU Adopts 19th Sanctions Package Against Russia

October 2025 – On 23 October 2025, following a European Commission proposal issued on 19 September 2025 and extended negotiations among Member States, the Council of the EU adopted its 19th sanctions package against Russia in response to its ongoing aggression against Ukraine.

The latest package reinforces existing restrictions targeting Russia's military-industrial complex, energy sector and financial system, building on the measures introduced under the 18th package. It further strengthens the EU's efforts to combat circumvention, including by designating additional entities and individuals located in third countries.

In parallel, the EU has adopted additional sanctions against Belarus, including trade-related measures mirroring those already applied to Russia and further listings of individuals and entities.

Below is an overview of the key measures.

Restrictions targeting Russia's military-industrial complex

The package introduces additional measures targeting Russia's defence sector and its global supply chains, including:

• Expanded dual-use and advanced technology controls, adding items linked to quantum technologies, semiconductors, advanced computing, artificial intelligence and geospatial data to Annex I lists.
• Stronger export bans and controls, including to certain third countries such as China and Kazakhstan, covering goods valued at approximately EUR 155 million and now exceeding EUR 40 billion in total. Newly prohibited items include chemical products, metal components, ores, ceramics, salts and rubber, as well as components with direct battlefield applications, particularly for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). A ban on the purchase, import or transfer of all acyclic hydrocarbons is also introduced.
• Additional designations of one senior DPRK military commander and 45 entities in Russia and in third countries involved in supporting Russia's defence sector or facilitating sanctions circumvention (including in China, Hong Kong, the UAE, Thailand and India).

Energy sector restrictions

The EU continues to target Russia's energy revenues, which are a key source of funding for the war, through a combination of import bans, transportation measures and additional designations. Key actions include:

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) and pipeline gas

• Full ban on Russian LNG imports, phased in over two stages:
  • Short-term contracts to end within six months
  • Long-term contracts to be terminated by January 2027

• Accelerated phase-out of Russian pipeline gas, although no new restrictions are imposed on Russian pipeline oil supplies

Oil, shipping and maritime services

• Removal of remaining exemptions and a full transaction ban on Rosneft and Gazprom Neft
• Designation of 117 additional shadow fleet vessels used to evade the price cap, bringing the total to 557
• Ability to extend vessel restrictions to non-Russian ports used for arms transfers or shadow fleet operations
• Listings of maritime registries providing false flags, and of companies linked to shipping and naval construction supporting Sovcomflot

LPG and petrochemical products

• Prohibition on importing previously exempt LPG categories (including butane) from Russia and Belarus, particularly where used as a component in blended products

Designations of energy-related actors

• Asset freeze measures affecting refineries, oil traders and petrochemical companies (including in China and India) engaged in the trade of sanctioned Russian oil in breach of EU restrictions.

Financial sector restrictions

The package imposes further measures to limit Russia's access to the international financial system and to disrupt channels used to evade existing sanctions. Key actions include:

Transaction bans

• Full transaction bans on five additional Russian banks (Absolut Bank, Alfa-Bank, Istina Bank, MTS Bank and Zemsky Bank) as well as eight banks and oil traders in Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and the United Arab Emirates involved in sanctions circumvention

Cryptocurrency and digital payments

• An unprecedented full transaction ban on certain cryptocurrency platforms and prohibition of crypto-related services used to evade sanctions
• Stablecoin A7A5, developed with Russian state support, is banned across the EU for any transaction involving Russian nationals, residents or entities
• Additional listings of Russian and foreign financial institutions linked to alternative payment systems

Restrictions on Russian payment infrastructure

• Measures targeting Russia's National Payment Card System (MIR) and Fast Payments System (SBP)
• Additional limitations on transactions conducted in Special Economic Zones (SEZs)

Further listings

• Listing of four banks in Belarus and Kazakhstan connected to Russian payment networks, including Bank BelVEB, Belgazprombank, VTB Bank Belarus and VTB Bank Kazakhstan.

Other measures

In addition to the sector-specific actions described above, the package introduces several cross-cutting restrictions designed to limit Russia's access to high-value services, restrict the movement of sanctioned individuals and reduce economic engagement. Key elements include:

Services restrictions

• Mandatory prior authorization for all services provided to the Russian government
• Restrictions on the provision of:
  • Artificial intelligence services
  • High-performance computing and cloud computing services
  • Commercial space-based services (e.g., satellite data) to Russian entities, including government-linked bodies

Diplomatic and consular travel measures

• A new mechanism (with a three-month transition period) imposing EU-wide travel restrictions on Russian diplomats and consular staff, including administrative and technical personnel as well as family members

Aviation and insurance

• Prohibition on reinsurance services for listed vessels and for used Russian aircraft

Tourism services

• A ban on tourism-related services offered by EU operators for activities taking place in Russia.
  
  

For more information, please see:

• Decision 2025/2036 and Regulation 2025/2035, and Regulation 2025/2037 under the main asset freeze regime targeting Russia (Decision 2014/145 and Regulation 269/2014)
• Decision 2025/2038 and Regulation 2025/2039 under the Belarus sanctions regime (Decision 2012/642 and Regulation 765/2006).
• Decision 2025/2032 and Regulation 2025/2033 amending sectoral sanctions targeting Russia under the main regime (Decision 2015/512 and Regulation 833/2014)
• Decision 2025/2040 and Regulation 2025/2041 amending sectoral sanctions targeting Belarus under the main regime (Decision 2012/642 and Regulation 765/2006)