The Council decided on 14 March to prolong the restrictive measures targeting those responsible for undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine for another six months, until 15 September 2025. The existing restrictive measures provide for travel restrictions for natural persons, the freezing of assets, and a ban on making funds or other […]
Statements by President Von der Leyen on the new defence package
We are living in the most momentous and dangerous of times. I do not need to describe the grave nature of the threats that we face. Or the devastating consequences that we will have to endure if those threats would come to pass. Because the question is no longer whether Europe’s security is threatened in […]
Syria: EU suspends restrictive measures on key economic sectors
The Council decided today to suspend a number of restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria. This decision is part of the EU’s efforts to support an inclusive political transition in Syria, and its swift economic recovery, reconstruction, and stabilisation. The EU aims to facilitate engagement with Syria, its people, and businesses, in key areas of energy and transport, […]
EU adopts 16th sanctions package against Russia
The Commission welcomes the Council’s adoption of the 16th Russia sanctions package. As Russia’s illegal aggression enters its fourth year, this package is designed to further ramp up pressure on the aggressor and is part of the EU’s unwavering commitment to a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. The 16th package targets systemically important sectors of the […]
Parliament to display EU and Ukrainian flags in support of Ukraine
EU and Ukrainian flags will be flown at the European Parliament’s three sites from Sunday 23 February to Tuesday 25 February, marking three years since Russia’s invasion. Russia launched its unprovoked, unjustified and illegal attack against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Special set-ups of both EU and Ukraine flags will be flown in front of […]
Ruslan Stefanchuk: “Peace in Ukraine can only be achieved if we stay strong”
On Tuesday, the Chair of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, addressed a formal sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Welcoming Mr Stefanchuk to the hemicycle, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “I am proud that this Parliament has stood with Ukraine from the very first moment – united, unwavering, and resolute. We will […]
The Commission and Kaja Kallas welcome a key step in holding Russia accountable for its aggression against Ukraine
Senior legal experts of the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the Council of Europe, Ukraine and 37 States laid down the legal foundations for the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. The participants also set out the key elements of the “Schuman draft Statute”, the core legal […]
“We must be better, stronger and faster”: European leaders’ defence conclusions
On 3 February a meeting took place at the Egmont Palace (Brussels, Belgium) between António Costa (President of the European Council), Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission), Mark Rutte (NATO Secretary General) and Keir Starmer (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom). At the event, several relevant aspects of current political affairs were […]
Council extends economic restrictive measures against Russia for another six months
The Council today extended EU restrictive measures for a further six months, until 31 July 2025, in the light of continued actions by the Russian Federation destabilising the situation in Ukraine. These economic measures, which were first adopted in 2014, have been significantly extended since February 2022 in response to Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and […]