EU individual sanctions over territorial integrity prolonged for a further six months

The Council decided today to prolong the restrictive measures targeting those responsible for undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine for another six months.

The existing restrictive measures provide for travel restrictions for natural persons, the freezing of assets, and a ban on making funds or other economic resources available to the listed individuals and entities. Sanctions will continue to apply to over 2100 individuals and entities, many of which are targeted in response to Russia’s ongoing unjustified and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine.

In the context of the sanctions' review, the Council also decided not to renew the listings of three individuals and remove nine deceased persons from the list.

After 24 February 2022, in response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, the EU massively expanded sanctions against Russia with the aim of significantly weakening Russia's economic base, depriving it of critical technologies and markets, and significantly curtailing its ability to wage war.

On 14 and 15 December 2023, the European Council adopted conclusions in which it reiterated its resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations, and reaffirmed the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its inherent right of self-defence against Russia’s aggression.

The European Council also stated that Russia’s ability to wage its war of aggression must be further weakened, including by further strengthening sanctions, and through their full and effective implementation and the prevention of their circumvention.