The European Union on Thursday approved its 21st package of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, retaining the existing oil price cap for another year while expanding restrictions on banks, crypto firms and, for the first time, vessels linked to Moscow's "shadow fleet". European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the measures would "continue to weaken the economic foundations of Russia's war effort".
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
Announcing the agreement in a post on X, von der Leyen said, "I welcome the agreement on the 21st sanctions package against Russia." She added, "At a time when Ukraine has built military momentum, our sanctions continue to weaken the economic foundations of Russia's war effort."
The package, agreed after weeks of negotiations among the EU's 27 member states, targets Russia's energy, financial and trade sectors while keeping the current oil price cap in place for the next 12 months to prevent Moscow from benefiting from volatility in global oil markets.
