The Council of the European Union has renewed its Ukraine-related sanctions listings for another six months, pushing their expiry to 15 September 2025. These restrictive measures continue to target people and entities deemed responsible for undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. They include travel bans for natural persons, asset freezes, and a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available to those listed. Following the regular review, member states agreed to drop four individuals whose listings were not renewed and to remove three deceased persons. In total, nearly 2,400 individuals and organizations remain designated—part of the EU’s broader response to Russia’s unprovoked, ongoing military aggression. The measures are grounded in the EU’s sanctions framework developed since 2014 and significantly expanded after 24 February 2022, and the Council signals it remains prepared to tighten pressure further if required. consilium.europa.eu

The decision aligns with European Council conclusions that condemn Russia’s war as a manifest violation of the UN Charter and pledge sustained support to Ukraine “for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed.” EU leaders frame the sanctions as one strand of a larger policy mix—military aid, financial assistance under the Ukraine Facility, humanitarian relief, and diplomatic outreach—aimed at weakening Russia’s capacity to wage war while bolstering Ukraine’s resilience. The conclusions also underline that no initiative regarding Ukraine should be taken without Ukraine, and that the Union stands ready to step up pressure, including through additional restrictive measures and stricter enforcement against circumvention. By extending the listings while pruning a handful of names, the Council maintains legal precision without diluting strategic intent: sustained, rules-based pressure on Moscow alongside comprehensive support to Kyiv and accountability for aggression. consilium.europa.eu+2consilium.europa.eu+2

The listings sit within the long-running legal framework of Council Decision 2014/512/CFSP, the consolidated sanctions regime against Russia. It sets out the categories of persons and entities subject to measures and the core tools—asset freezes, travel bans, and restrictions on making funds or economic resources available—along with periodic review mechanisms that allow names to be added, renewed, or removed as circumstances change.