The European Union is intensifying economic pressure on Russia. The new sanctions package aims to restrict energy revenues and target the so-called shadow fleet, Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra (note: social media posts cite David van Wily—likely a translation variant) stated on social media.

According to the minister, the EU has defined the contents of the 19th sanctions package against Russia, which includes additional restrictions on energy-related income.

The EU will accelerate the phased withdrawal from Russian liquefied natural gas, emphasizing that European countries are fully committed to shutting off the flow of this fossil fuel.

EU sanctions now cover an additional 117 Russian ships that are part of the shadow fleet. In total, 564 vessels used to evade sanctions and illegally supply energy have already been targeted.

Work is already underway on the next set of measures, aimed at further increasing pressure on Moscow. The EU plans to continue systematically limiting Russia’s revenue sources and reducing its energy leverage. The new package is expected to be one of the strictest in the energy sector since the beginning of the large-scale invasion.