EU planning to expand sanctions against Russia, foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says

ByREUTERSAUGUST 17, 2026 07:44The European Union intends to significantly expand sanctions against Russia in the coming months, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a German newspaper."EU sanctions have already cost Russia dearly, depriving Russia's war machine of over €1 trillion, and for autumn I am putting forward the most far-reaching sanctions listings since the start of the war," she told the German daily newspaper, Die Welt."Once adopted, they would immediately raise the total number of sanctioned Russian entities by a third. The pressure must keep growing until Moscow ends its war."EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas attends the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, May 31, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/EDGAR SU)Kallas did not elaborate further on timing or details of the new sanctions package.EU imposes sanctions on Russian banking, cryptocurrencyThe EU in July approved its most recent sanctions package against Russia over its war in Ukraine, imposing curbs on the country's banking sector and cryptocurrency networks.Follow us on Google