EU agrees on new sanctions against Russia

BRUSSELS - European Union (EU) countries on Wednesday agreed a major new raft of sanctions on Russia, targeting nearly 1,600 individuals and entities over the war in Ukraine, diplomats said.

Officials said those being blacklisted were mainly linked to the Russian military and arms industry, and that EU foreign ministers will formally adopt the measures at a meeting on Monday.

In addition, diplomats said 77 new listings were agreed over recent Duma elections in Russia decried as fixed by Brussels, including three members of the electoral commission.

This wave will take the number of individuals and entities subjected to visa bans and asset freezes over the war to some 4,500 in total.

Meanwhile, the EU is mulling whether to launch work on another wide-ranging package of broader sanctions on the Russian economy, despite fears it is running out of targets it can agree on.

Diplomats say that Brussels could, going forward, break up its sanctions into smaller batches in the hope that they will be easier to get through.