The EU sanctions Russian aluminium and shadow ships – but much more is needed
25 February 2025
Last Wednesday, the European Union approved a fresh wave of sanctions against Russia, just a day after US and Russian officials held talks in Saudi Arabia concerning Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine – without the presence of the EU or Ukraine. This latest sanctions package – the 16th since the full-scale invasion – aims to target Russia's military-industrial complex, to further weaken its economy, and penalise companies circumventing previous restrictions.
A significant new measure includes a ban on importing Russian aluminium, a step that member states such as France and Hungary have opposed so far. Additionally, 73 vessels from Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," which Moscow has used to evade sanctions on oil and gas exports as well as do acts of sabotage, have been blacklisted.
 | Luc de Klerk The 16 sanction packages may sound like a lot. But still, key sectors like nuclear energy remain largely untouched because a certain country (Hungary) depends on Russian-enriched uranium. Moreover, while the sanctions are designed to cripple the Russian economy, recent figures suggest limited success: in the final quarter of 2024, Russia's economy grew by 4.4%. This has mostly to do with the military industry. |
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