Overview

• Brussels proposes full transaction bans on Rosneft and Gazprom Neft, with new measures hitting Russian banks and cryptocurrency platforms used to route funds.
• The package accelerates the EU’s phase‑out of Russian liquefied natural gas to January 1, 2027.
• An additional 118 shadow‑fleet vessels would be blacklisted, lifting the total number of sanctioned ships to about 560.
• The plan expands export controls on dual‑use goods and targets refineries, oil traders, petrochemical firms, and third‑country entities, including some in China, accused of helping Moscow evade restrictions.
• EU ambassadors have opened negotiations, with Hungary and Slovakia seen as potential veto players under the Druzhba pipeline carve‑out, while the push follows intensified Russian strikes and reported airspace intrusions and comes after President Trump urged Europeans to halt Russian energy purchases.