Overview

• The European Commission approved a new sanctions round targeting energy, finance and military supply chains, with a proposed start date of 1 January 2027 for a full ban on Russian LNG imports.
• Measures include blacklisting about 119 shadow‑fleet vessels, a total transactions ban for Gazprom and Rosneft, tighter controls on crypto and Russian payment channels, and new export curbs on military‑related technologies.
• Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis outlined a proposed “repair loan” for Ukraine using liquid returns on immobilized Russian assets, a concept cited as agreed at G7 and European Council level but now facing legal and political scrutiny in some capitals.
• Estonia and NATO reported that three Russian MiG‑31s entered Estonian airspace for roughly 12 minutes before two Italian F‑35s intercepted and escorted them away, while Moscow denied any violation.
• NATO is reinforcing Baltic air policing under operation Sentinella est with contributions from several allies, as Poland launched jets overnight during large‑scale Russian strikes on Ukraine involving about 40 missiles and hundreds of drones.