The European Union on Thursday officially adopted its 19th round of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, introducing new restrictions that include a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The sanctions package, endorsed by all 27 member states after Slovakia lifted its earlier objections, was finalized late Wednesday. The Danish rotating presidency of the EU described the decision as “a significant package that targets main Russian revenue streams through new energy, financial, and trade measures.”

Under the new measures, short-term LNG contracts will terminate within six months, while long-term deals will end as of January 1, 2027. This timetable moves up the European Commission’s original plan by one year to fully eliminate the bloc’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels.

Additional restrictions and diplomatic limits

The package also introduces tighter controls on the movement of Russian diplomats within the EU, according to the official statement. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a post on X that the sanctions “target Russian banks, crypto exchanges, entities in India and China, among others.”

We just adopted our 19th sanctions package.

It targets Russian banks, crypto exchanges, entities in India and China, among others.

The EU is curbing Russian diplomats’ movements to counter the attempts of destabilisation.

It is increasingly harder for Putin to fund this war.

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) October 23, 2025

“The EU is curbing Russian diplomats' movements to counter the attempts of destabilisation. It is increasingly harder for Putin to fund this war,” Kallas added.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen welcomed the decision, calling the LNG ban “an important step towards a complete phasing out of Russian energy in the EU.”

The move marks another milestone in Europe’s continued effort to sever its energy ties with Moscow while maintaining economic pressure over the ongoing war in Ukraine.

US sanctions Russian oil firms, urges Moscow accept ceasefire

In a similar vein, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed new sanctions targeting Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, in a bid to increase economic pressure on Moscow and push for an end to the war in Ukraine.

The move comes as part of Washington’s broader strategy to cut off the Kremlin’s financial lifelines and degrade its ability to sustain military operations.

"Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire," said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine."

Bessent added that the US will continue to use its economic tools to support President Trump’s effort to bring about a lasting peace, urging international allies to adopt and enforce similar measures.

Wider context

The latest EU and US sanctions reflect more political posturing than practical leverage, as Moscow has already diversified its energy and trade routes toward Asia. By cutting off Russian LNG, Brussels risks deepening its own energy vulnerability, particularly with winter ahead and global gas prices still volatile.

Despite Western claims of tightening the noose, Russia’s economy has shown remarkable adaptability, driven by domestic production and non-Western partnerships.

In the long run, such measures may erode Europe’s industrial competitiveness more than they weaken the Kremlin, further accelerating the global shift toward a multipolar economic order.

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