The EU has imposed sanctions against Russia due to the illegal invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions remain necessary to further increase pressure on Russia. Sanctions make it harder for Russia to continue funding the war.

Measures against the Russian shadow fleet

The EU imposes additional sanctions on another 189 vessels (including 183 oil tankers) that are part of the Russian shadow fleet. This is more than a doubling of the number of ships. These ships are involved in circumventing the oil price cap or transporting stolen Ukrainian grain. With the sanctions, the ships will no longer have access to European ports and services. This ban now applies to 342 ships.

Since the EU implemented the oil price cap and sanctions against the shadow fleet, Russian revenues have decreased by € 38 billion. Russian revenues in March 2025 were 13.7% lower than in March 2023 and 20.3% lower than in March 2022.

75 new individuals and companies on the sanctions list

The EU has added 17 individuals and 58 companies to the sanctions list, including:

• More than 45 companies involved in the Russian war industry.
• Companies from other countries, including China and Belarus, that supply critical components for the Russian military, such as for drones.
• Surgutneftegaz, the third-largest oil exporter from Russia.

More export restrictions

The EU has also imposed new export restrictions on 31 organizations that help Russia evade sanctions. Additionally, the export bans on chemicals and spare parts for machinery are further expanded.

The sanctions against Russia hit the Russian treasury. Among other things, € 300 billion from the Russian Central Bank is blocked in the EU and G7 countries. Over € 21 billion in private assets has been frozen. And Russia is missing out on about € 91 billion in exports to the EU. Money that Russia cannot use to wage war. Also read the article: Do sanctions work?

Export restrictions also mean that Russia has less and less access to high-quality technology, such as aircraft parts and computer chips.

The European Union continues to commit to supporting Ukraine in its right to self-defense against Russian aggression. And to build a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future. A complete overview of the sanctions can be found on the EUs sanctions page. Also see the EU timeline of sanctions against Russia.