Switzerland Joins EU’s 17th Sanctions Package Against Russia

Switzerland has officially joined the European Union’s 17th sanctions package against Russia, further tightening pressure on the Kremlin over its ongoing war against Ukraine, The Gaze reports.

The updated measures, published by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), take effect at 23:00 on June 3, 2025, according to a statement from the Swiss government.

The revised ordinance includes substantial additions across several sanction annexes. Seventeen individuals, 58 organizations and 31 companies joined the blacklist.

The update also expands restrictions to 189 vessels linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”. This shadow fleet has been instrumental in circumventing Western sanctions, particularly in the maritime transport of Russian oil.

In addition to expanding sanctions against individuals and entities, Switzerland has broadened the scope of restricted goods to include more items linked to dual-use and military-relevant technologies, tightening controls on trade. 

The government has also extended the validity of a current exemption for certain cases until June 28, 2026, ensuring limited allowances remain for humanitarian purposes and specific diplomatic engagements.

As The Gaze reported earlier, the European Union has approved a new package of sanctions against Russia, the 17th in a row since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.