The European External Action Service is preparing to add approximately 1,600 individuals and companies to its Russian sanctions list in its largest expansion yet. A significant portion of the targeted entities are linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, according to an EU diplomat familiar with the process who was not authorized to speak publicly.
The proposals are scheduled for presentation to member state ambassadors in the Permanent Representatives Committee, known as Coreper, at the beginning of September. European officials aim to formally approve the measures in October.
The initiative focuses on adding new individuals and legal entities rather than introducing a fresh package of economic sectoral sanctions. The European External Action Service, which serves as the diplomatic arm of the European Union, also plans to transition to monthly updates of personal sanction lists, with approval sought at each meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
Separate proposals targeting individuals and organizations involved in human rights violations and Russian hybrid operations are expected to be presented in September, the diplomat told Radio Free Europe.
Autumn expansion announced by Kallas
The planned expansion aligns with earlier statements by Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Speaking to German newspaper WELT, Kallas said she would present the largest sanctions list since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine this autumn. If approved, the measure would immediately increase the number of sanctioned Russian individuals, companies, and organizations by one third.
Kallas stated that previously implemented EU sanctions have cost Russia more than 1 trillion euros. She noted that July 2026 marked the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since the full-scale invasion began, describing Russian strikes as systematic terror and arguing that sanction pressure must intensify until Moscow halts its war.
Negotiations and sectoral compromises
The diplomat indicated that the European Union does not expect the upcoming list expansion to reintroduce sectoral restrictions that were dropped from the 21st sanctions package adopted in July 2026. The diplomat expressed doubt that the European Commission would attempt to separately revive individual sectoral measures after the previous package was scaled back.
Negotiations over the 21st sanctions package highlighted growing difficulty in securing unanimity among the 27 EU member states. Objections from individual nations forced the removal of proposed restrictions on the Russian fishing industry as well as several targeted individuals.
Bulgaria successfully negotiated the removal of Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, and Vagit Alekperov, founder of Russian oil producer Lukoil, from the sanctions list. Meanwhile, France and Italy resisted a proposal to implement a complete entry ban into the EU for Russians who took part in the military campaign against Ukraine. While the EU established a legal framework for such travel restrictions, practical enforcement requires a formal decision by the Council of the EU.
