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Russia Today
28-05-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
German officials reveal major change to Russia sanctions enforcement
EU officials in charge of enforcing Russia sanctions have lamented a major disconnection with Washington, following US President Donald Trump's change in policy towards Moscow. According to a report by Süddeutsche Zeitung citing an internal document from Germany's Foreign Office, the US and EU have failed to reach an agreement on efforts to counter circumvention of restrictions. Experts have warned the EU/US divide could spell an end to the Russia sanctions regime altogether. According to the document, the EU's sanctions envoy David O'Sullivan lamented the lack of unity between Brussels and Washington towards anti-Russia restrictions, during a bloc Foreign Affairs Council meeting last week. Since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, the US and EU have imposed sweeping sanctions to isolate Russia, including bans on seaborne oil, asset freezes, and restrictions targeting the country's economy, trade, and defense sectors. Recent efforts have focused on alleged sanctions evasion, citing purported attempts by Russia to acquire weapons components through third parties using a so-called 'shadow fleet,' a Western term for tankers operating outside recognised insurance systems. The EU has been pushing for additional measures to prevent vessels from operating, including by sanctioning Russia's trade partners, such as China. According to the report, however, the US does not support Brussels' moves: O'Sullivan at the meeting reportedly acknowledged a total breakdown in coordination with Washington on measures targeting Russia. 'There is no more joint outreach,' he reportedly admitted, adding that G7 cooperation has also 'lost momentum.' US President Donald Trump has threatened tougher sanctions on Russia if negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict fail, without naming any concrete proposals. He has repeatedly noted that he looks forward to boosting trade and economic cooperation with Russia once the conflict is over. Officials cited in the report believe he is looking to restore business ties sooner rather than later. A recent Bloomberg report citing EU sources also claimed the US has become 'unresponsive' in working groups focused on sanctions enforcement. The next EU sanctions package is expected to target Russia's energy and banking sectors, the report notes, but its approval is now uncertain. Hungary, which has repeatedly opposed sanctions, is reportedly blocking key elements of the proposal. Washington's fading support has further cast doubt on its passage. German MEP Sergey Lagodinsky told Süddeutsche Zeitung that a full US withdrawal from the sanctions regime would likely bring the entire system to a halt. 'The problem is that the US has been the de facto driving force behind the sanctions,' he said. Moscow has repeatedly denounced Western sanctions as illegal and ineffective, arguing they have failed to destabilize the Russian economy and have instead backfired on the countries that imposed them.
Russia Today
27-05-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
EU and US divided on enforcing Russia sanctions
The EU and US have failed to reach an agreement on efforts to counter alleged sanctions evasion by Russia, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on Monday, citing an internal document from Germany's Foreign Office. According to the document the EU's sanctions envoy David O'Sullivan lamented the lack unity between Brussels and Washington towards anti-Russia restrictions, during an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting last week. Since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, the US and EU have imposed sweeping sanctions to isolate Russia, including bans on seaborne oil, asset freezes, and restrictions targeting the country's economy, trade, and defense sectors. Recent efforts have focused on alleged sanctions evasion, citing purported attempts by Russia to acquire weapons components through third parties using a so-called 'shadow fleet,' a Western term for tankers operating outside recognised insurance systems. The EU has been pushing for additional measures to prevent vessels from operating, including by sanctioning Russia's trade partners, such as China. According to the report, however, the US does not support Brussels' moves: O'Sullivan at the meeting reportedly acknowledged a total breakdown in coordination with Washington on measures targeting Russia. 'There is no more joint outreach,' he reportedly admitted, adding that G7 cooperation has also 'lost momentum.' US President Donald Trump has threatened tougher sanctions on Russia if negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict fail, without naming any concrete proposals. He has repeatedly noted that he looks forward to boosting trade and economic cooperation with Russia once the conflict is over. Officials cited in the report believe he is looking to restore business ties sooner rather than later. A recent Bloomberg report citing EU sources also claimed the US has become 'unresponsive' in working groups focused on sanctions enforcement. The next EU sanctions package is expected to target Russia's energy and banking sectors, the report notes, but its approval is now uncertain. Hungary, which has repeatedly opposed sanctions, is reportedly blocking key elements of the proposal. Washington's fading support has further cast doubt on its passage. German MEP Sergey Lagodinsky told Süddeutsche Zeitung that a full US withdrawal from the sanctions regime would likely bring the entire system to a halt. 'The problem is that the US has been the de facto driving force behind the sanctions,' he said. Moscow has repeatedly denounced Western sanctions as illegal and ineffective, arguing they have failed to destabilize the Russian economy and have instead backfired on the countries that imposed them.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US, EU no longer coordinating enforcement of Russia sanctions, media reports
The U.S.-EU negotiations on coordinating the enforcement of sanctions against Russia have failed, making a future united strategy against Moscow uncertain, the newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) reported on May 27, citing an internal document from the German Foreign Ministry. EU sanctions chief David O'Sullivan noted that there is "no more outreach" between the two sides on sanctions evasion and that G7 cooperation has "also lost momentum" in this regard, according to a report from an EU ministerial meeting in Brussels on May 20. The story contrasts with earlier declarations by German officials that the EU's 18th sanctions package is being coordinated with Washington. European leaders have pledged to ramp up economic pressure on Moscow after it rejected proposals for a truce in Ukraine. Since the outbreak of the full-scale war, the U.S. has been a key player in enforcing the sanctions regime against Moscow, closely cooperating with EU and G7 partners in cutting of Russia's supplies of military-use material and curtailing its economic growth. U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office this January, has been inconsistent in his approach to sanctions against Russia. While repeatedly threatening additional economic measures to pressure Moscow to peace talks, Trump reportedly told European leaders he would not impose any new sanctions after his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, allegedly not wanting to endanger business opportunities with Russia. More recently, after Trump sharply criticized Putin for strikes against Ukrainian cities, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. president is once again mulling new sanctions. Trump is reportedly also considering walking away from peace efforts unless progress is made. According to the internal report cited by SZ, the current trade restrictions appear to have a significant impact on the Russian economy and have had some success in curtailing the flow of war-related goods via third-party countries and the activity of Russia's "shadow fleet." The EU's upcoming 18th sanctions package could include measures to disconnect more than 20 Russian banks from SWIFT, lower the G7 oil price cap on Russian crude exports from $60 to around $45 per barrel, ban the Nord Stream gas pipelines, and impose approximately 2.5 billion euros ($2.84 billion) in new trade restrictions, Bloomberg reported last week. Read also: Ukraine war latest: West no longer imposing range restrictions on arms for Ukraine, Germany's Merz says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
