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No EU agreement yet on 21st Russian sanctions package, Kallas says - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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No EU agreement yet on 21st Russian sanctions package, Kallas says

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on July 13, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: July 13, 2026

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EU Faces Delays in Agreeing 21st Russian Sanctions Package, Kallas Says

EU Struggles to Finalize New Sanctions Against Russia

Status of the 21st Sanctions Package

July 13 (Reuters) - EU countries have yet to reach agreement on a broad 21st package of sanctions against Russia, but may decide on Monday to add 250 individuals and entities to their Russia sanctions list, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.

Largest Number of Listings to Date

"We are hoping that we get 250 listings agreed .. this is the biggest number of listings we have done so far," Kallas said before a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Brussels.

Outstanding Issues and Open Questions

"When it comes to the 21st package, there are still some open questions," she added.

Debate Over Maritime Services Ban and LNG Restrictions

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said EU countries had yet to reach a decision on a proposed maritime services ban and tightening restrictions on Russian liquefied ⁠natural gas.

Security Versus Economic Interests

"So I'm looking to see whether we are serious enough. We cannot put economic interests above security interests ... that is a very dangerous trend," he told reporters.

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Andrew Gray)

Key Takeaways

  • EU ministers have not reached agreement yet on the broader 21st package of Russia sanctions, with contentious issues including a maritime services ban and tighter LNG restrictions.
  • However, there is growing momentum toward approving sanctions against 250 individuals and entities, which would be the most extensive single expansion of the EU’s Russia sanctions list so far.
  • Previous, successful efforts include the 20th sanctions package (adopted on April 23, 2026) that laid groundwork for maritime and LNG service bans, and the 19th package (October 23, 2025) which introduced phased bans on Russian LNG imports and expanded the “shadow fleet” vessel listings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is delaying the 21st EU sanctions package against Russia?
EU countries have unresolved issues, including a proposed maritime services ban and restrictions on Russian liquefied natural gas.
How many new individuals and entities may be added to the Russia sanctions list?
The EU may decide to add 250 individuals and entities, the largest number of listings so far.
Who announced the latest development on EU sanctions?
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas made statements before a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers.
What concerns did Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys raise?
He warned against prioritizing economic interests over security and emphasized the dangers of such a trend.

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