On 19 September 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the 19th package of sanctions against Russia. The EU described the sanctions as an “effective tool of economic pressure” and vowed to continue them until Russia comes to the negotiation table with Ukraine for a just and lasting peace.
00:00Drone and missile attacks against Ukraine since the beginning of the war,
00:05striking government buildings and civilian homes alike,
00:10hitting our EU office in Kiev, the representation of our union.
00:15The threats to our union are also rising.
00:19In the last two weeks, Russian Shahid drones have violated our union's airspace,
00:26both in Poland and in Romania.
00:30These are not the actions of someone who wants peace.
00:34Again and again, President Putin has escalated, and in response, Europe is increasing its pressure.
00:43This is why today I'm presenting the 19th package of sanctions.
00:48First on energy.
00:51Russia's war economy is sustained by the revenues from fossil fuels.
00:56We want to cut these revenues.
01:00So we are banning imports of Russian LNG into European markets.
01:05It is time to turn off the tap.
01:09We are prepared for this.
01:11We have been saving energy.
01:13We have been diversifying supplies.
01:15We have been investing in low-carbon sources of energy like never before.
01:22And today, these efforts pay off.
01:25Then we have just lowered the crude oil price cap to $47.6.
01:31To strengthen enforcement, we are now sanctioning 118 additional vessels from the shadow fleet.
01:40In total, more than 560 vessels are now listed under EU sanctions.
01:45Major energy trading companies, Rosneft and Gazprom Neft, will now be on a full transaction ban.
01:55And other companies will also come under asset freeze.
01:58We are now going after these who fuel Russia's war by purchasing oil in breach of the sanctions.
02:07We target refineries, oil traders, petrochemical companies in third countries, including China.
02:16In three years, oil revenues from Russia have gone down in Europe by more than 90%.
02:24Now, we are turning that page for good.
02:29My second point.
02:31We are targeting the financial loopholes which Russia uses to evade sanctions.
02:37We are putting a transaction ban on additional banks in Russia and on banks in third countries.
02:44We are stepping up our crackdown on circumvention.
02:49As evasion tactics grow more and more sophisticated, our sanctions will adapt to stay ahead.
02:57Therefore, for the first time, our restrictive measures will hit crypto platforms and prohibited transactions in cryptocurrencies.
03:08We are listing foreign banks connected to Russian alternative payment service systems.
03:14And we are restricting transactions with entities in special economic zones.
03:21Coming to my third point.
03:23We add new direct export restrictions for items and technologies used on the battlefield.
03:30We also list 45 companies in Russia and third countries.
03:36These companies have been providing direct or indirect support to the Russian military-industrial complex.
03:44In a war driven by innovation, cutting of Russia's access to key technologies is crucial, above all when it comes to drones.
03:54Our economic analysis is clear, our sanctions are severely affecting the Russian economy.
04:04The interest rate is at 17%.
04:07Inflation is persistingly high.
04:12Russian access to finances and revenues are consistently decreasing.
04:17And Russia's overheated war economy is coming to its limit.
04:24Even more interesting is that when speaking directly with partners that speak to Russians, they say that among the first Russian request is sanction relief.
04:38So we know that our sanctions are an effective tool of economic pressure.
04:44And we will keep using them till Russia comes to the negotiation table with Ukraine for just and lasting peace.
04:54In parallel, as I announced last week, we are working on a new solution to finance Ukraine's defense efforts.
05:05This is based on the immobilized Russian assets.
05:09We must be very clear.
05:12This is Russia's war and the perpetrator must pay for it.
05:16With the cash balances associated to these Russian assets, we can provide Ukraine with a reparations loan.
05:27The assets themselves will not be touched and the risk will have to be carried collectively.
05:35Ukraine will only pay back the loan once Russia pays reparations.
05:43We will come forward with a proposal soon.
05:46Finally, we are aligning our sanctions with our G7 partners.
05:52This is under the steer of the Canadian presidency.
05:56And to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom, we are also working in lockstep with the coalition of the willing.
06:05Europe has been by Ukraine's side from the very beginning.
06:10And faced with Russia's escalation, Europe stepped up to the challenge.
06:17We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to bring this brutal war to an end.
06:24I now call on member states to quickly endorse these new sanctions.
06:30We want Russia to leave the battlefield and come to the negotiation table.
06:37And this is the way to give peace a real chance.
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