New European sanctions on 1,600 individuals and entities linked to the Russian military industry

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The European Union on Monday approved new sanctions on about 1,600 entities and individuals, all of them linked to the war launched by Russia against Ukraine, according to what the EU’s foreign policy official, Kaya Kallas, announced.

Callas said on the

“We welcome the energy truce when it holds,” Callas said during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. “We have not yet seen that Russia will adhere to it.”

The step came while Ukraine and its European supporters are still under the influence of a decision taken by US President Donald Trump last week to lift sanctions on Russian diesel, as part of an agreement to supply it to the United States.

Under the new measures, the number of those on the European Union sanctions list linked to Russia will rise to about 3,500 people and entities, which include prominent figures such as President Vladimir Putin himself.

European Union countries are still dissatisfied with efforts led by France and Luxembourg last month, which led to the lifting of sanctions on prominent Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.

This step sparked sharp criticism from Kiev, especially since the lifting of sanctions on Usmanov was linked to a French agreement to release a prisoner in Azerbaijan.

In addition to the blacklist, which includes individuals and entities, the European Union imposed several sets of sanctions that affected large sectors of the Russian economy.

But there are fears that the momentum towards imposing new, wide-ranging sanctions will decline, with the increasing difficulties faced by European Union countries in agreeing on measures that do not cause significant harm to their economies.