EU countries align with sanctions decision on Russia over Ukraine
On 23 April 2026, the Council of the EU adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/508, adding new restrictive measures in response to Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine. The decision broadened sanctions across shipping, finance, trade controls, and service bans, and the EU said the package was taken in coordination and discussion with the G7 and the Price Cap Coalition.
The decision constrained Russia's shadow fleet by extending restrictions to 46 additional vessels. It also reinforced safeguards on tanker sales from the EU to prevent Russian end-use.
Eleven vessels were delisted after their return to compliance. The decision added two Russian ports and Karimun Oil Terminal in Indonesia because of connections to the shadow fleet and circumvention of the oil price cap.
The measure included a future prohibition to transport Russian oil and petroleum products. It also introduced a prohibition on maintenance services for Russian LNG tankers and icebreakers, along with a ban on LNG terminal services.
The decision extended a transaction ban to 20 additional Russian banks and four banks in Kyrgyzstan, Laos, and Azerbaijan. At the same time, 5 third-country financial entities were removed from the transaction ban after their commitments.
The package also bans exchanges with any Russian crypto asset service provider and with decentralised platforms enabling crypto trading. It prohibits the use of the cryptocurrency RUBx and the digital rouble.
New export and import restrictions were added to disrupt Russia's military-industrial complex, and the anti-circumvention tool was activated on the Kyrgyz Republic to block the sale, supply, transfer, or export to Russia of certain machine tools and telecommunication equipment imported from the EU and used in drone and missile manufacturing. The decision added 60 entities to Annex IV subject to stricter export restrictions.
It also added legal protection for EU firms against retaliatory actions by the Russian Government, including lawsuits and damage claims over enforcement of abusive judgments. Finally, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Ukraine aligned themselves with the decision and said they would ensure their national policies conform to it.
