The European Union has almost no options left to increase sanctions pressure on Russia – Politico

Europe has almost no tools left to increase sanctions pressure on Russia, and is relying more and more on the United States.

This was reported by Politico.

According to sources, the 19th sanctions package, expected to be unveiled next month, will likely not include any new serious restrictions on energy sales — revenues from which Russia finances its war against Ukraine. Instead, it will target ships and companies of the “shadow fleet.”

Alongside the EU’s new roadmap for a phased withdrawal from Russian energy imports, the bloc has virtually no instruments left to intensify pressure on Moscow.

The harshest consequences for Russia would come from secondary sanctions — targeting companies or countries doing business with Russia. But the real impact of such measures would come from the U.S. President Donald Trump appears to be keeping this option as a fallback in case peace negotiations fail, with threats to impose sanctions against China, the paper writes.

Earlier, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant stated that European leaders urging Washington to increase sanctions on Russia should either take action themselves or “shut up.”