EU approves 17th package of Russia sanctions, targets shadow fleet

Editor's note: The story is being updated.

The EU has formally approved its 17th package of sanctions imposed on Russia over aggression in Ukraine, including measures against almost 200 shadow fleet vessels, top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas announced on May 20.

"New measures also address hybrid threats and human rights. More sanctions on Russia are in the works," Kallas said on X.

The step comes as the U.S. signals disinterest in imposing additional sanctions against Russia even as Moscow refuses Western-backed ceasefire proposals.

The package was supported by EU ambassadors last week, but has since then been criticized as weak and watered down.

The new sanctions target members of Russia’s military and political elite and foreign entities in China and the United Arab Emirates, accused of helping the Kremlin evade already-imposed measures.

The EU will also sanction more than 20 entities and individuals disseminating disinformation, and 20 judges and prosecutors involved in legal cases against Russian opposition, specifically Vladimir Kara-Murza and late Alexei Navalny.

The package also targets components vital to Russia’s defense industry, namely chemicals, materials, and dual-use goods.

The EU has threatened Russia with additional sanctions unless President Vladimir Putin commits to a ceasefire and agrees to seriously engage in peace efforts. President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced that a new "strong EU sanctions package" is underway.

While European leaders have proclaimed that additional sanctions are coordinated with Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump, who held a phone call with Putin on May 19, said he does not intend to impose new measures on Moscow to avoid disrupting peace efforts.