
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.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Memri
31 minutes ago
- Memri
Russian Media Outlet RuNews24: 'China Openly Sides With Russia; The Game of Neutrality Is Over; Why This Changes Everything'
On July 20, 2025, Russian media outlet RuNews24 wrote an analysis titled "China Openly Sides With Russia; The Game of Neutrality Is Over; Why This Changes Everything." During a meeting with Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Chinese FM stated that Beijing cannot allow Russia to lose the war in Ukraine. According to RuNews24, the world enters a new phase of confrontation, with the U.S. and its allies on one side and the emerging Sino-Russian alliance on the other, which no longer hides its intentions. Meeting of Russian and Chinese Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov and Wang Yi in Beijing, July 13, 2025. (Source: Chinese Foreign Ministry).[1] Below is RuNews24's article:[2] Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: "Beijing Cannot Allow Russia To Lose The War Against Ukraine" "Just the other day, an event took place that finally dotted all the i's. During a four-hour meeting with European Union head of diplomacy Kaja Kallas, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said something that had previously been heard only on the sidelines [of international events]. 'Beijing cannot allow Russia to lose the war against Ukraine, as this will grant the United States an opportunity to fully focus on China,' said Wang Yi, thereby completely contradicting China's previously iterated neutral stance in the conflict. These words came as a bolt from the blue for European diplomats. This is the first time a Chinese official of such [high] rank had openly acknowledged that Beijing had a direct interest in Russia not losing the war." "Drones That Changed The Game" "But even before this diplomatic acknowledgement, the world saw more concrete actions on the part of China. Zelenskyy stated that 'the Chinese 'Mavic'[3] is open to Russians but closed to Ukrainians.' According to him, 'there are production lines on Russian territory where Chinese representatives work.' "He was talking about the popular DJI Mavic drones, which have become a true workhorse of the SVO.[4] By design, these are ordinary civilian quadcopters for aerial photography, but on the battlefield, they have become the 'eyes' and 'hands' of armies – they are used for reconnaissance and can carry explosives to strike targets. "European officials have confirmed Zelenskyy's words. According to Ukrainian foreign intelligence, 80 percent of critically important electronics for Russian drones are of Chinese origin. What's more, China supplies arms components to 20 Russian military factories." "What's Behind The Numbers" "The scale of China's support for Russia is staggering. Shipments of dual-use goods from China to Russia again exceeded four billion USD in 2024, despite threats of secondary sanctions on the part of the US. During the period of February 2022 – February 2025, [Chinese president] Xi Jinping and [Russian President] Vladimir Putin met and/or spoke on the phone 10 times. Foreign Ministers Wang Yi and Sergey Lavrov held 18 meetings. The frequency of these interactions exceeds any other bilateral relationship for both China and Russia." "Economic War In The Shadows" "Russo-Chinese trade relations also speak for themselves. The share of the Chinese yuan in Russia's international trade has risen sharply since the start of the SVO and subsequent Western sanctions. Before the war, yuan settlements accounted for less than 2 percent of Russia's total trade [settlements], but have grown rapidly, exceeding 30 percent in the beginning of 2023. "China became a critically important market for Russian gas, helping to offset losses from Europe [European export]. Russia began exporting natural gas to China through pipelines in 2019 with the launch of 'Sila Sibiri – 1' pipeline (Power of Siberia-1), which is set to reach full capacity of 38 billion cubic meters [of natural gas] per year by 2025." Why China Is No Longer In Hiding "Beijing has realized a simple truth: China will be left face-to-face with the collective West if Russia loses. Military conflict [in Ukraine] demands a significant portion of the resources of the United States and its European allies. Contrary to its propaganda narrative, China has little interest in a prompt settlement of the conflict via the talks. "In May of 2025, Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin issued a joint statement defining new areas of cooperation between China and Russia, including upcoming economic, diplomatic, and military agreements. Both used particularly harsh language in their individual statements, condemning the 'unilateralism, hegemonism, hooliganism, and coercive practices' of the United States. "For Ukraine, the new conditions pose serious problems. Previously, Russia fought almost alone, relying mainly on its own resources. Wherein, Ukraine received assistance from many Western countries – in the form of arms, money, and technology. But now the situation is starting to change. "Now Russia not only increased drone production, but also received support from China, the world's second largest economy, which has huge manufacturing capabilities. This gives the Russian army new advantages and allows it to assert more pressure on the positions of Ukrainian troops." "The New Global Balance Of Power" "In the context of Russia's dispute with the West and the military conflict in Ukraine, China has become the Kremlin's most important and irreplaceable aide. As a result, Sino-Russian relations continue to deepen. "The system that the two countries have been developing for more than three decades, currently dubbed as a 'comprehensive strategic coordination partnership for a new era,' has practically evolved into an informal anti-American alliance and has proven effective in practice. "There is bad news for Americans here too. The proxy war against Russia is too costly for America – we are talking not only about financial costs, but also about the expenditure of military resources. Instead of accumulating military equipment in case of a possible war with China over Taiwan, which, according to analysts, may break out sooner or later, the U.S. is forced to spend everything on the Ukrainian front. "China has demonstrated that it is willing to risk its relations with the West for the sake of a strategic alliance with Russia. "The world enters a new phase of confrontation, with the U.S. and its allies on one side and the emerging Sino-Russian alliance on the other, which no longer hides its intentions. "And this is just the beginning."


Shafaq News
35 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
Israeli minister calls for Jewish Gaza
Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu has drawn sharp condemnation after calling for Gaza to be 'wiped out' and resettled exclusively with Jews. Speaking to Israeli radio station Kol Barama, Eliyahu praised what he described as the government's effort to 'wipe out this evil,' referring to Gaza's population as one 'educated on Mein Kampf,' Adolf Hitler's manifesto. He added that future Jewish towns in the Strip 'won't be fenced in inside cantons.' Opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced the remarks as 'a moral attack and an explanatory disaster that severely damages Israel's credibility,' stressing that 'Israeli soldiers are not dying to exterminate civilians, but to secure hostages and protect the country's safety." דברי השר אליהו הם פיגוע ערכי ואסון הסברתי. ישראל לעולם לא תשכנע את העולם בצדקת המלחמה שלנו נגד הטרור כל עוד מובילה אותנו ממשלת מיעוט קיצונית עם שרים שמקדשים דם ומוות.לוחמי צה"ל לא נלחמים, נהרגים ונפצעים כדי למחוק אוכלוסיה אזרחית. הם נלחמים כדי להחזיר את החטופים ולהבטיח את… — יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) July 24, 2025 Eliyahu, a member of the ultranationalist Otzma Yehudit party—often described as 'racist' for its openly anti-Arab stance—made the remarks as international scrutiny intensifies over Israel's stated objectives in Gaza, where hunger now grips the entire population. On Thursday alone, 17 Palestinians were reported killed, including three while seeking aid.


Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
South Lebanon: Israeli attacks leave one dead
Shafaq News – South Lebanon A Lebanese citizen was killed on Thursday after an Israeli drone targeted a vehicle in the border town of Aita al-Shaab, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Health. Local sources reported that another Israeli drone strike hit a wooded area in the town of Beit Lif. In the al-Omra border region, Israeli soldiers opened fire on livestock herders, while flares were launched over the areas of al-Khiam and the orchards of al-Wazzani. Earlier at dawn, an explosion occurred in the village of Houla, reportedly carried out by an Israeli force. The incidents mark another breach of the US-brokered ceasefire implemented on November 27, 2024. Since then, Lebanese authorities have documented over 4,000 Israeli violations, with at least 234 people killed and more than 530 injured. Israel continues to occupy five military outposts in southern Lebanon, despite the ceasefire terms requiring a full withdrawal.