EU Eyes Measures on Third Countries Aiding Moscow as 19th Package Looms

The European Union is considering imposing secondary sanctions to block third countries from helping Moscow evade existing measures, as the bloc prepares its 19th package of penalties over Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The Gaze reports this, referring to Bloomberg.

EU foreign ministers will gather in Copenhagen later this week for informal discussions that could include the use of the bloc’s anti-circumvention tool – a mechanism adopted in 2023 but never used, which would allow Brussels to restrict exports to countries suspected of aiding Russia’s sanctions evasion.

The upcoming package is expected to focus initially on Russian officials and entities linked to the abduction of Ukrainian children, an issue that resonated strongly with U.S. President Donald Trump during his most recent meeting with European leaders in Washington. 

However, officials say the debate is widening to cover oil, gas, finance, and further import–export curbs on Russian goods.

Historically, the EU has resisted secondary sanctions, wary of friction with global partners and mindful of U.S. criticism of such policies. Now officials acknowledge that Brussels is running out of room to tighten measures against Russia directly.

Trump, meanwhile, has moved ahead with his own approach, imposing secondary tariffs on India’s purchases of Russian crude, tacitly punishing New Delhi for supporting Moscow’s war economy. 

European allies have urged Washington to adopt additional “bone-crushing” sanctions, though the U.S. has so far refrained from passing broader measures.

As The Gaze previously reported, European Union foreign ministers will hold their first high-level talks on a planned 19th package of sanctions against Russia during an informal “Gymnich” meeting in Copenhagen on August 29–30.