The European Commission has formally proposed a seventeenth package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, with a particular focus on Russia’s expanding shadow fleet and its military-industrial supply networks.
The new measures, announced on Tuesday by EU diplomats, mark a renewed effort by the bloc to curtail sanctions evasion and tighten restrictions on dual-use technologies.
The package includes the listing of more than 100 vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet – a network of tankers and other ships operating beyond Western monitoring systems, used to circumvent existing sanctions on oil exports. According to officials, over 50 individuals and entities are also set to be sanctioned, including five based in China. In total, 31 companies accused of supporting the Russian military or aiding sanctions evasion are named in the proposal, 13 of which are located outside Russia.
The proposal was introduced earlier than expected and described by diplomats as “simple” in structure. Unlike previous packages, there was no informal consultation with member states prior to its submission. Nevertheless, swift agreement is anticipated, with the first discussions starting today.
The Commission’s move comes after reports in mid-April suggesting that progress on the new measures was slow, and that additional restrictions might not be tabled until June. The accelerated timeline is seen as a response to continued Russian aggression in Ukraine and the EU’s need to demonstrate unity amid repeated threats of veto from Hungary, whose government maintains a Russia-friendly stance.
One diplomat said the aim was to prove that the 27-member bloc can “still agree on something against Russia,” in spite of internal divisions and procedural hurdles.
In addition to the expanded listings, the package proposes tighter export controls on advanced technologies and goods with potential military applications. These measures are designed to further restrict Russia’s ability to obtain components critical to weapons production, including items that can be repurposed for use by its armed forces.
A key feature of the new package is the extension of an exemption from sanctions on the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project in Russia’s Far East. The exemption, granted due to the project’s importance to Japan’s energy security, will now remain in place until June 2026, according to sources familiar with the text.
The new measures are also being timed in coordination with allied actions. France’s foreign minister indicated last week that the European Union is seeking to align the rollout of this package with planned U.S. sanctions. In Washington, officials have reportedly completed work on a fresh round of restrictions targeting Moscow, including new listings such as Gazprom, the Russian state-owned gas company. However, it remains unclear whether President Donald Trump will approve and sign off on the final version.
The EU’s previous, sixteenth package of sanctions was adopted on 24 February 2025, on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. That round focused on enforcement of existing measures, asset freezes, and curbs on components used in weapons manufacturing.
Poland, which currently holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, has expressed hope that the seventeenth package will be adopted before 1 July, when it hands over the presidency to Denmark. Polish Minister for European Affairs Adam Szłapka told the European Parliament that the process is now fully under way. “Work on the 17th package of sanctions has just started. I hope it will be completed before the end of the Polish Presidency,” he said during a plenary session in Strasbourg.
Szłapka also pointed to the broader context of reconstruction and peace efforts. Citing a February 2025 World Bank assessment, he noted that Ukraine has suffered $176 billion in war-related damage, with a projected $524 billion needed for a ten-year recovery plan. “Against this grim backdrop, it is clear that no one desires peace more than Ukraine and the Ukrainian people themselves,” he stated.
He further recalled Ukraine’s acceptance in March of an unconditional ceasefire proposal brokered by the United States, noting that “the ball remains in Russia’s court.”
The adoption of the seventeenth sanctions package will require unanimous agreement among the EU’s 27 member states. Despite some resistance from individual governments, the early submission of the proposal and the urgency surrounding the situation in Ukraine suggest a political will to proceed swiftly. The outcome of the initial discussions will likely determine whether the EU can maintain momentum in its sanctions strategy as the conflict continues into its fourth year.
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Exposing Russia’s Shadow Fleet: How European Sanctions Are Being Circumvented
