Sybiha reacts to EU dispute over sanctions against Russians

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha has called on the European Union to maintain personal sanctions against Russians and organizations involved in undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The statement was made against the backdrop of disagreements within the EU, which have so far allowed the restrictions to be extended for only a week.

Sybiha wrote about this on the evening of 14 September on the social network X.

The head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stressed the need to maintain sanctions pressure on individuals responsible for Russian aggression, as well as those who support it or benefit from it. Kyiv is against weakening such restrictions amid the ongoing war.

The statement came after EU member states were unable to agree on a full extension of personal sanctions for a long period. Instead, the restrictions were temporarily extended for seven days – until midnight on 22 September.

The additional week is meant to give EU states time for further consultations and finding a compromise. Extending the sanctions regime requires a unanimous decision by all EU member states.

The sanctions in question target individuals and organizations responsible for actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine. Prior to the current review, around 2.6 thousand individuals and legal entities were subject to restrictions.

For individuals, the sanctions include a ban on entering and transiting through EU territory, as well as an asset freeze. For both individuals and legal entities, a ban on providing them with funds and other economic resources applies.

The previous six-month period of these restrictions was due to end on 15 September. In March, the EU Council extended them for six months, while removing two people from the list and deleting entries for five deceased individuals.

The current negotiations were complicated by demands from certain states to change the sanctions lists. Due to the lack of unanimity, the EU was forced to resort to a short-term extension so that restrictions would not lapse automatically.

The day before, Sybiha also called for a change in the approach to sanctions pressure on Russia. In his opinion, European partners should not wait for large packages of restrictions: new measures should be introduced after every massive Russian strike on Ukraine.

The head of the Foreign Ministry proposed, in particular, introducing so-called "anti-ballistic" sanctions targeting Russian enterprises, supply chains, and technologies that enable the production of ballistic missiles and drones.

Source: Andrii Sybiha, EU Council