The European Union is considering imposing new sanctions against approximately six Russian banks and energy companies. This week, an EU delegation will visit Washington to discuss the possibility of joint action.

Source: European Pravda, citing Bloomberg

Details: The European Union is discussing a fresh sanctions package, which would be the 19th since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The EU hopes to coordinate some of its measures with the United States, according to sources who spoke with Bloomberg on condition of anonymity. A delegation of EU officials will visit Washington this week to meet with their American counterparts and discuss the possibility of joint action.

"We are prepared to increase pressure on Russia, but we need our partners in Europe to follow," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with NBC on Sunday 7 September.

The US and Europe are discussing new sanctions and secondary tariffs against Russia, hoping that the "collapse" of the Russian economy will force Putin to sit down at the peace table with Ukraine, Bessent added.

US President Donald Trump has so far refrained from imposing direct sanctions on Russia. However, Trump has doubled tariffs on goods from India to 50% due to its continued purchases of Russian oil.

Alongside extra fees on buyers of Russian oil, the US is weighing sanctions on the shadow fleet of Russian tankers and on energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil, as previously reported by Bloomberg.

The sources said the future EU sanctions package includes tougher sanctions on Russian shadow fleet vessels and oil traders in third countries and may ban reinsurance for tankers on the list.

Background:

• On 7 September, Trump said he is ready to move to the second phase of sanctions against Russia.
• On the same day, he also said that some European leaders will visit the United States on Monday or Tuesday to discuss ways to resolve the Russo-Ukrainian war.

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