European Union Member States approved a 16th sanctions package against Russia on Monday, the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The package "targets vital sectors of the Russian economy and weakens the regime's ability to wage its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine," the European Council stated on Monday.
The sanctions package had been diplomatically settled earlier this month but was awaiting final approval from Member States. This approval was granted on Monday during a meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers, coinciding with the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began with a minute of silence for the war victims.
"This new round of sanctions is not only aimed at the Russian shadow fleet but also targets those supporting the operation of unsafe oil tankers, drones, banks used to circumvent our sanctions and propaganda channels spreading lies," said the bloc's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, in a press release.
"There is no doubt about who the aggressor is, who should pay, and who must be held accountable for this war," according to Kallas.
