EU ambassadors reportedly agree on 16th package of Russia sanctions

EU ambassadors agreed on a new package of sanctions against Russia, targeting aluminum imports and the "shadow fleet" of oil tankers, Euronews reported on Feb. 19.

The news comes as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that a settlement of the Russia-Ukraine war would include relief from the economic restrictions imposed on Moscow.

The EU has already adopted sanctions against some Russian aluminum products, with the latest measures also targeting primary aluminum. Russia represents around 6% of the EU's imports of the metal.

The "shadow fleet" denotes a flotilla of aging and poorly insured ships Russia uses to avoid sanctions on the oil trade. The West believes the vessels are used for other illicit activities, including espionage and sabotage.

The aluminum ban will be "phased in," while the package will also target 13 banks and other entities and individuals seen as helping Russia wage its full-scale war, the Financial Times reported.

A Rubio-led delegation met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and top presidential aide Yuri Ushakov for talks in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18, marking the highest-level U.S.-Russia meeting since the outbreak of the full-scale war. EU and Ukrainian representatives were not included in the discussion.

The U.S. diplomacy chief said that the EU would later take part in the peace process as it is part of the sanctions regime against Russia but assured European partners that the Western sanctions would remain in place until a settlement is reached.

EU Economy and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis commented that Brussels must take greater control of its sanctions policy against Russia as U.S. priorities shift.

The EU approved its 15th sanctions package against Moscow on Dec. 16. The package targeted 54 individuals and 30 organizations from Russia, China, and North Korea, as well as shipping companies facilitating Russia's crude oil sales.