EU Extends Sanctions Against Russia for 12 Months for First Time

The European Union (EU) on Thursday decided to extend sanctions against Russia for 12 months for the first time, deviating from the previous six-month cycle. The restrictive measures were imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The sanctions are specifically aimed at Russia's revenue from fossil fuel sales on international markets, its arms industry, and financial institutions. The extension required unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states.

The decision comes amid a new wave of EU support for Ukraine. Since Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who had blocked several aid initiatives, lost his position in elections earlier this year, the EU has launched formal accession talks with Ukraine and approved a €90 billion loan for Kyiv.

At the summit in Brussels, the 27 EU leaders also adopted a joint declaration of support for Kyiv. This declaration was unanimously approved for the first time after Orbán had repeatedly refused to back EU statements on Ukraine.