How to plunge Russia. This way is more painful for Moscow than sanctions
After making a decision to gradually withdraw oil and gas imports, the European block is increasingly aware that it is Washington, not Brussels, it has the best position to exacerbate sanctions.
According to four European diplomats who, provided anonymity, reveal the details of closed conversations, the latest round of sanctions will probably not cover new ones, serious restrictions on the sale of energyfrom which the war of Russia is financed against Ukraine.
The package, nineteenth since Moscow began the invasion in February 2022, is to be announced next month and will be directed against ships of the so -called shadow fleets and companies that help Russia celebrate applicable regulations.
The most severe consequences for Moscow would have secondary sanctions – towards companies or countries conducting business with Russia – but their actual impact will come from the United States.
Many observers say that Russian President Vladimir Putin took talks with Donald Trump in Alaska only after Washington applied High duties on India In connection with the purchase of crude oil by this country, which is a source of income for Russia. Another dramatic step would be to tighten similar sanctions to limit trade with China extremely important for the Kremlin.
Blows for Russia
Trump seems to leave this option open if the peace conversations end in failure.
“Over the next two weeks We'll find out which way it will go. And it is better that it would please me very much, “Trump said on Friday, threatening” mass sanctions or mass tests, or both “if Moscow does not cooperate.
Continued article under video material
In June, EU member states agreed to reduce the oil price limit from Russia, a ban on importing refined fuels from Russian oil and placing on a black list of companies associated with Nord Stream gas pipelines. Along with the new plan to gradually withdraw all the import of energy from this country, the block has few funds to put pressure on Moscow even more.
– We do not expect that in the 19th EU Sanctions Package there will be a lot of space for any significant sanctions regarding Russian oil – says Ajay Parmar, the main oil oil analyst at ICISC company dealing in the analysis of the raw materials market. – The last packet of sanctions was significant for Russian oil and we think that at the moment there is not much room for further sanctions.
Maria Shagina, an expert on sanctions from the International Institute of Strategic Studies, explains that although the Russian economy looks “superficially resistant”, she is already bending under West pressure.
-Lower oil prices, stagnation in the military-industrial sector, the upcoming banking crisis and the constantly growing military expenses make the Russian economy heading towards the recession. Sanctions towards the so -called The Russian shadow fleet is one of many factors – he says.
“Unnecessary advantage we give to the Russian regime”
Secondary sanctions that can be imposed by the United States on companies cooperating with Russian enterprises, “existing problems would worsen dramatically The Russian economy. “
However, other means are being considered to weaken the potential of Russia, including the ban on the free movement of its diplomats around the Schengen zone. Supporters of this solution say that complete freedom makes it difficult to track intelligence agents who can plan hostile actions away from the country that gave them a visa.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, August 25, 2025 (Review)Viaqueslav Prokofiev/AFP/East News/AFP
– Just as Katon the Elder said that Carthage must be destroyed, so I will suggest the abolition of the free movement of Russian diplomats in Schengen – says the Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky in an interview with Politico. – This is an unnecessary advantage we give to the Russian regime, and which is abused to facilitate sabotage activities.
This week, foreign ministers from all over the EU will meet at an informal summit, during which a discussion with a high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will take place, Kaja Kallas, on the exacerbation of economic sanctions against Russia.
Political struggle
In the meantime, Ukraine takes specific actions to weaken the financing of war by Moscow, attacking refineries throughout Russia and plunging its key source of state funds in the crisis. At the weekend, the drones hit the Pump Station at the Friendship pipeline, suspending the supplies of Russian oil to the EU -Hungarian and Slovak -Slovakian Kremlin -friendly countries. Budapest and Bratislava asked the European Commission to intervene to prevent future attacks.
Officials made it clear that they would rather not interfere. – It is important that the suspension does not affect DELIVERY SAFETYwhich has always been a priority for the European Commission – says spokeswoman Eva Hrncirova.
Although Slovakia and Hungary are consistently opposing the extension of sanctions against Russia and are taking a political struggle for the planned withdrawal of restrictions, diplomats are convinced that they will be able to put pressure on these countries to provide unanimous support for the 19th Package of Sanctions.
– Just look at what has happened in the last 18 times – says one of the diplomats.
