EU extends sanctions for Russiaʼs annexation of Crimea for a year

The Council of the EU has extended the sanctions imposed in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation until June 23, 2026.

This is stated on the website of the Council of the EU.

Restrictive measures include:

• a ban on the import of products originating from illegally annexed Crimea or Sevastopol to the EU;
• a ban on infrastructure or financial investments and the provision of tourist services in Crimea and Sevastopol;
• restrictions on the export of certain goods and technologies to Crimean companies or for use in Crimea — especially in the areas of transport, telecommunications, energy, as well as for exploration, production of oil, gas and minerals.

"The EU does not recognize and continues to condemn the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia as a violation of international law," the institution emphasized.

• Sanctions against Russia were first imposed on July 31, 2014, for a period of one year. This was in response to the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of Donbas. Since February 2022, after the start of the full-scale invasion, they have been significantly expanded. Since then, the EU has imposed 17 packages of sanctions.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.