The European Union agreed to impose a fresh round of sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, diplomats said Thursday.
The package will be formalized through what the EU calls a “written procedure” by Friday noon.
“Sanctions agreed. Written procedure until tomorrow noon,” one of the diplomats said.
Diplomats said a compromise deal — thought to include targeting some 200 individuals — was reached on the sidelines of a leaders summit in Brussels.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed the latest salvo of sanctions last week, saying “we stand by Ukraine and we are making Russia pay for its cruelty.”
The EU has already imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February, targeting Russia’s economy, financial system, central bank, and top government officials.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan blamed Europe’s energy crisis on the sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Türkiye has tried to steer a middle course between Moscow and Kyiv and has pursued intense diplomatic efforts to end the war that has killed tens of thousands and forced more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes.
European nations are “harvesting what they sowed” by imposing economic restrictions on Russia, Erdoğan told reporters before departing for a three-nation swing through the Balkans.
Türkiye has criticized Moscow’s invasion and provided Ukraine with arms, including drones, which played a significant role in deterring a Russian advance early in the conflict, while refusing to join the West in imposing sanctions on Russia – a stance it says has helped its mediation efforts reap results.
Benchmark gas prices in Europe have surged about 340% in a year and jumped as much as 35% on Monday after Russia’s state-controlled Gazprom said it would indefinitely extend a shutdown to the major Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline.
Europe has accused Russia of weaponizing energy supplies in retaliation for Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over its military campaign in Ukraine. Russia blames those sanctions for causing gas supply problems, which it puts down to pipeline faults.
