Russia Sanctions

• The European Union is lifting sanctions on Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman. • France specifically demanded the removal of these individuals from the blacklist, a move that angered other EU member states. • Kyiv argues that the bloc should increase pressure on Moscow rather than removing sanctions, as doing so for political reasons sets a dangerous precedent.

• EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas urged the European Union to maintain sanctions against Russia as the bloc works to reach a deal on their extension. • Russia's ruling United Russia party won a landslide victory in widely criticized elections, resulting in 49 war participants joining the new parliament. • Continued sanctions and the integration of combatants into government reflect the ongoing economic and political escalation of the conflict.

Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman delisted in what Ireland’s EU presidency called ‘a difficult compromise’ for the blocThe EU has agreed to remove two Russian billionaires, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, from its sanctions list, while extending restrictions on nearly 3,000 individuals and companies accused of supporting the war on Ukraine for the next three years.With an end-of-Tuesday deadline looming to preserve the Russia blacklist, the EU’s 27 member states found a compromise that meant delisting the two oligarchs in spite of very few countries wanting this outcome. EU sanctions have to be approved unanimously. Continue reading...

• European Union members failed to reach an agreement on renewing sanctions against nearly 3,000 entities accused of supporting the war in Ukraine. • The sanctions on these entities are set to lapse at the end of the day due to the current deadlock. • This failure to agree removes legal restrictions on thousands of organizations and individuals linked to the conflict.

Without an agreement sanctions on nearly 3,000 entities accused of supporting the war on Ukraine will lapse at the end of the dayin BrusselsThe EU is deadlocked over a plan to remove two Russian billionaires, Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, from its sanctions list as part of a bitterly disputed deal to keep broader restrictions in place on nearly 3,000 people and companies accused of enabling Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.“Extending sanctions for 36 months would be the right step. However, the price for it must not be simply striking both individuals from the sanctions list. Latvia cannot accept SUCH an offer.” Continue reading...

• Russia and China vetoed a United States-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution that sought to extend the mandate of the Iran sanctions Panel of Experts. • The resolution failed despite 11 votes in favor, which would have extended the panel's oversight of the resolution 1737 Iran Sanctions Committee until September 2027. • The veto prevents the continued official monitoring and reporting on Iran's compliance with international sanctions.

• President Trump signed the Graham Russia-Iran Act on September 18, 2026, to impose tariffs on top buyers of Russian energy. • The new law allows the U.S. government to apply tariffs of up to 100% against targeted energy importers. • French companies face unpredictable financial exposure because the White House can use waiver powers to spare some partners while penalizing others.

• President Trump signed H.R. 5334, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, to expand trade restrictions and sanctions against Russia. • The law prohibits U.S. investment in Russia and targets senior officials, state-linked banks, the energy sector, and the "shadow fleet" used to evade sanctions. • These measures increase financial and operational pressure on Russian state entities and the networks they use to bypass international trade laws.

• Former President Trump signed a law imposing severe sanctions on Russia's energy sector, financial institutions, and military leadership. • The legislation allows the United States to apply tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that continue to purchase Russian energy resources. • These measures create significant financial risks for global trade partners and markets that rely on Russian oil and gas.

Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act signed into law tow days after House passed it in bipartisan voteDonald Trump on Friday signed legislation enabling sweeping sanctions on Russia aimed at pressing it into ending its war with Ukraine, and also giving him the power to impose additional tariffs on countries breaking the embargo.The US president signed the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act into law two days after it passed the House of Representatives in a bipartisan 262-159 vote, amid concerns the legislation gives him too much power. Continue reading...

• The US Congress passed a sweeping sanctions bill targeting Russia and Iran on September 16 and sent the legislation to President Donald Trump. • The package aims to increase pressure on Moscow and the specific countries that provide financing for Russia's war against Ukraine. • These measures create higher financial and political risks for any nation or entity assisting the Russian government's military efforts.

• India is facing a policy dilemma following a new US sanctions bill targeting Russia that threatens its oil import strategy. • Potential US tariffs on Indian exports could disrupt bilateral trade relations if New Delhi continues purchasing Russian energy. • A shift away from Russian oil may increase domestic fuel prices for Indian citizens ahead of upcoming elections.

Jeffries said the legislation had ​so many loopholes that sanctions harming Russia might not be appliedHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the Russia sanctions bill had “so many loopholes” as Congress passed the sweeping bill to give Donald Trump the power to raise tariffs on top buyers of Russian energy.Why in the world would this Congress give this president additional authority to visit that kind of economic harm on the American people?Donald Trump responded to the Federal Reserve’s unanimous decision on Wednesday to raise its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-percentage point, to a range of 3.75% to 4%, by demanding a massive cut in rates.Asked why it is so important to him to have his name inscribed on the Kennedy Center, a memorial to another president, Trump said he deserves “recognition” for saving the venue. If not, Trump said, “It’ll end up being ripped down.Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, a Democrat and Kennedy Center trustee, has filed a motion for an emergency hearing on the performing arts venue’s apparent closure.Mitch McConnell, the former Republican Senate majority leader who returned to work this week after a months‑long absence, had to be prompted by colleagues as to how to vote near the start of a televised meeting of the Senate agriculture committee on Wednesday.The House speaker, Mike Johnson, cancelled votes currently scheduled for Thursday, meaning that lower chamber lawmakers will now head back to their districts for the midterm recess a day early. The change to schedule means that the House will avoid voting on Republican congressman Thomas Massie’s resolution to impeach the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth.Speaking in North Carolina, Trump explicitly compared his effort to blame Democrat Roy Cooper, the former governor and Senate candidate, for the brutal killing of a young Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska, last year, by using false information, on the infamous 1988 Willie Horton ad. Continue reading...

• Kaja Kallas, the head of European Diplomacy, proposed granting the European Prosecutor's Office the authority to open legal cases against those circumventing sanctions on Russia. • The European Commission separately approved an additional €6.1 billion in funding for Ukraine to purchase drones, ammunition, and air and missile defense systems. • These measures increase the legal risks for companies bypassing trade restrictions and provide Ukraine with critical electronic warfare systems to counter Russian strikes.

• Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Europe and the UK implemented an unprecedented series of sanctions and asset-freezing measures targeting Russia and its supporters. • Initial policy efforts focused on rapidly expanding sanctions programs to cripple the Russian war effort and limit its financial capabilities. • Authorities have since shifted focus toward establishing the necessary legal and institutional frameworks to ensure these measures are strictly enforced.

• EU foreign ministers met in Wicklow, Ireland, on September 1–2 for an informal “Gymnich” session to address Ukraine's 2027 funding gap. • Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland proposed reviving a plan to convert approximately $200 billion in frozen Russian central bank assets, primarily held at Euroclear, into a “reparations loan” for Kyiv. • The initiative aims to secure long-term financial support for Ukraine, though the plan was previously blocked by Belgium in December.

Late senator spent final days of his life working to advance bill that will now head to the House after 86-11 Senate voteBy a large, bipartisan margin, the US Senate on Friday approved a bill intended to punish Russia and countries that buy its petroleum exports over the invasion of Ukraine, capping a legislative push that was spurred by the death of its champion, the Republican senator Lindsey Graham.The measure, renamed the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia Act in honor of the late senator’s work on the issue, was approved by an 86-11 vote. Continue reading...

• The United States has imposed new sanctions on entities located in China, India, Russia, and Iran due to alleged links with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). • This escalation follows a 24-hour period of exchanged military strikes between the U.S. and Iran, ending several days of relative calm. • The situation is critical as faltering diplomacy and the involvement of additional regional powers increase the risk of a wider conflict across the Middle East.

The agreement comes after previous meetings of EU ambassadors failed to result in consensusEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the adoption of the 21st package of sanctions, saying they “continue to weaken the economic foundations of Russia’s war effort.”“We’re adding 32 more Russian banks to our transaction ban list. As well as crypto firms and oil trading platforms. Freezing the oil price cap adjustment for a year, so that the Russian war machine does not benefit from market shocks. Continue reading...

EU ambassadors head to Brussels aiming to sign off on 21st package of sanctions, after previous attempts ended without successUkraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the overnight attack on “logistics hubs involved in supplying the Russian army with drone component, navigation equipment and other gear.”“We are, quite justly, bringing the war back home – to Russia. Peace is needed, and Ukraine has presented the Russian side with every proposal. They must be forced to turn to diplomacy.” Continue reading...

• The UK and European Union have implemented their first joint cyber sanctions package, targeting 24 Russian individuals and entities. • These sanctions address Russia's "reckless" efforts to sow division across Europe through malicious cyberattacks and the spread of deceptive anti-Ukraine narratives. • A key focus is the attribution of a failed attack on Poland's energy grid to the FSB's Centre 16, which potentially threatened electricity for 500,000 citizens during winter.

G7 told ‘we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes’, with Russia’s finance networks and shadow fleet targetedKeir Starmer has vowed to “choke off” Russian revenue with further sanctions and to provide hundreds of millions of pounds worth of energy support for Ukraine, as he met world leaders in France for the G7.After a torrid political week at home, the British prime minister sought to put himself on the front foot on the international stage at the meeting of the group of seven, which kicked off on Monday in the French spa town of Évian-les-Bains, on the shore of Lake Geneva. Continue reading...

Banks, crypto firms and Kremlin oil reserves also targeted in 21st set of measures since full-scale invasion of UkraineThe EU hopes to ban Russian soldiers from entering its territory as part of further sanctions against Moscow that also target banks, crypto firms and the Kremlin’s oil revenues.Announcing the proposals on Tuesday, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “We propose for the first time to ban from entry into the European Union anyone who has served in the Russian armed forces since the beginning of the war. So Europe stays off limit for anyone who has participated in the invasion of Ukraine, as simple as that.” Continue reading...

• EU officials are proposing new sanctions against Russia, specifically targeting the Moscow-based League for Assistance to Defense Enterprises and various military companies. • The measures focus on restricting components used for drones in the Ukraine war, including CNC machines, lasers, and lighting equipment used for reconnaissance and kamikaze missions. • These sanctions aim to cripple the modernization and growth of the Russian military industry by cutting off essential technological supplies.

• EU economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis announced that the European Union will not ease sanctions against Russia, despite mounting pressure to mitigate an energy crisis linked to the Iran war. • This decision follows a downgrade in the EU's economic growth forecast and official warnings regarding rising inflation across the bloc. • The EU's firm stance contrasts with the approaches of the US and UK, highlighting a divergence in how major Western powers are managing economic pressures.

Decision to allow import of jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries is criticised by Tories as ‘insane’The UK government has relaxed strict sanctions on Russian crude oil, allowing for the import of jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries amid surging costs.A trade licence that came into effect on Wednesday permits the imports indefinitely and will be reviewed periodically. It comes at a time of growing concerns over the supply of certain fuels due to the de facto blockade of the strait of Hormuz since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran. Continue reading...

MPs call for investigation into Essar Energy, owner of Stanlow refinery, which shifted loans from ‘Putin’s piggy bank’ VTB to MauritiusDays after the first wave of Russian tanks surged over the border into Ukraine in March 2022, dockers at a port in northern England took a stand.Appalled by Vladimir Putin’s brutality, workers at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire vowed never to unload any Russian oil destined for the nearby Stanlow refinery, a major hub for UK fuel supplies. Continue reading...

Leaders will discuss how to respond to surging energy prices amid the war in the Middle EastEurope live – latest updatesEU leaders have welcomed the end of diplomatic deadlock over a long-awaited €90bn (£78bn) loan for Ukraine, after the bloc finalised the agreement along with a 20th package of sanctions against Russia.After weeks of delay, the EU signed off on the loan on Thursday, in time for summit talks in Cyprus that are scheduled to begin in the evening and will include talks over a dinner with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Continue reading...