Russia bans EU officials over sanctions push
On Tuesday, Russia expanded its entry ban list to include additional European Union officials and citizens in response to the EU's latest sanctions against Moscow.
In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Brussels of undermining the authority of the United Nations Security Council.
The updated blacklist includes individuals accused of 'undermining Russia's territorial integrity, enforcing maritime blockades in the Baltic Sea, pursuing legal action against Russian officials,' advocating the seizure of Russian state assets, or supporting international tribunals targeting Russian leaders. It also names EU lawmakers and activists allegedly involved in promoting anti-Russian rhetoric or legislation.
The ministry further emphasized that such 'hostile acts' would not alter its political course, warning that any future EU sanctions would receive a 'timely and proportional response.'
Earlier, the United Kingdom announced 137 new sanctions targeting Russia's oil and energy sectors, focusing on the so-called 'shadow fleet' used to evade international restrictions. The UK also coordinated with the European Union to lower the Crude Oil Price Cap, the G7 mechanism on Russian seaborne crude oil and petroleum products.
The new development comes as Moscow and Kyiv are preparing for a new round of talks.
The Kremlin downplayed expectations for the talks scheduled to take place in Istanbul on July 23. The Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that no 'magical breakthroughs' should be expected in the current political climate. However, he acknowledged that agreements on prisoner exchanges or the return of remains would still be seen as meaningful progress.
The upcoming Istanbul meeting follows two earlier rounds held on May 26 and June 2, during which Moscow and Kyiv agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each and committed to returning all seriously ill and young captives under the age of 25.
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