Global Trade & Foreign Policy Insights

The European Union (EU) formally adopted an eleventh package of sanctions against Russia on June 23, 2023. This package focuses on preventing the circumvention of existing measures and includes a new anti-circumvention tool, new designations, additional import and export control bans and restrictions, new measures related to transport, tighter measures related to energy, clarification on existing measures, and additional media broadcasting bans.

On May 19, 2023, in coordination with the G7 summit in Japan, the U.S. announced new economic sanctions and export controls designed to further restrict the Russian Federation’s (Russia) ability to prosecute its invasion of Ukraine.

In light of the recent wave of sanctions against Russia issued by the United States (see Winston & Strawn’s post here), the European Union (“EU”) issued a tenth package of Russia sanctions on February 25, 2023. 

Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the United States (U.S.)—in partnership with the European Union (EU), the Group of Seven (G7),[1] and other Western countries— have designated 9,025 individuals, 2,636 entities, 119 vessels, and 22 aircraft.[2] In the U.S., the sanctions program against Russia has been codified into law by 31 CFR part 587 (the “Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations” or “RuHSR”), its amendments, declarations made by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and executive orders (E.O.) by the Biden administration.

Right before the end of the year, on December 16, 2022, the EU adopted the ninth package of sanctions against Russia. This new package includes additional designations, export control restrictions, additional service and media bans, and new sectoral measures targeting the Russian energy and mining sectors.

On October 6, 2022, the EU agreed to implement a new package of Russia sanctions in response to Russia’s annexation of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, its mobilization of additional troops, and nuclear threats.

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States and dozens of its allies and partners around the globe have imposed what the White House has called “the most impactful, coordinated, and wide-ranging economic restrictions in history.”[1] Although Russia is still not subject to a complete embargo in the United States, the sanctions placed on Russia have been severe and targeted against individuals and entities (“persons”) operating in some of its most important sectors, such as the financial sector.[2]

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States Government has undertaken several actions.

Since Russia’s recognition of the non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, and the subsequent invasion of Ukraine, the EU has enacted additional restrictive measures to be added to those already-existing restrictions targeting Russia.

On January 12, 2022, Democratic Senator Robert Menendez introduced the Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act of 2022 (S.3488), with 38 cosponsors. On the same day, House Republicans submitted a similar bill, illustrating a significant amount of bipartisan support for the issue.