The newly presented 21st sanctions package also targets companies that provide support to the Russian military-industrial complex. The new sanctions cover more than 30 companies in the drone production sector and new export controls for 50 companies, including branches in China, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates, and India.
Arms Industry
The EU will also restrict the export of other materials and technologies, such as nickel powders, metals, and high-quality alloys, to further undermine Russia's production capacity. No decision has yet been made regarding restrictions on the export of aluminum from Ireland, despite recent calls following new revelations.
Russian Tourists
Eleven European countries also want the European Union to further tighten visa rules for Russian citizens. They believe the EU should limit non-essential travel to the Schengen area. This mainly concerns wealthy Russians who come to take luxury vacations in Western European capitals and holiday resorts.
Promotion
The initiative comes from a group of countries led by Sweden. According to the initiators, the current rules are insufficient to achieve the desired restrictions.
According to EU Commissioner Kallas, security risks play an important role in the preparation of the new measures. Reference is made to hostile activities and other security threats faced by European countries.
Security
The European Commission points out that the number of Schengen visas issued to Russian citizens has dropped sharply since 2022 and now amounts to only a fraction of the level before the war.
At the same time, recent figures show that in 2025 more visas were issued again than the year before. This has led to new criticism from countries that believe access should be further restricted.
France, Italy, and Spain are mentioned in several articles as the countries issuing the most visas to Russian citizens. Advocates for stricter rules cite these numbers as an argument for new European action.