EU Announces 21st Sanctions Package Against Russia
EU proposes 21st package of sanctions against Russia, targeting banks
The European Union has proposed its 21st sanctions package targeting Russia's military operations in Ukraine, focusing on financial institutions and cryptocurrency networks. The package lists 170 individuals and entities, including nearly 90 banks—the largest single batch yet—bringing the total number of sanctioned Russian banks to over 100, representing more than half of Russia's 213 internationally connected lenders. The EU also proposes transaction bans on 35 banks and restrictions on 11 cryptocurrency platforms used to circumvent Western sanctions. Additional measures include oil price cap maintenance, import restrictions on Russian fish, and expanded sanctions on Russia's shadow fleet. EU officials indicated future plans for stricter cryptocurrency regulation at the country level, with potential bans on third-country crypto asset services.