World leaders visit Ukraine’s capital in a show of support on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The UK announces the largest sanctions package against Russia since the invasion. The EU approves the 16th package of sanctions against Russia.
“Europe is in Kyiv:” world leaders visit Ukraine’s capital to show support on third anniversary of Russia’s invasion
February 24, 2025 marks three years since Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia has been waging a war of aggression against the country since 2014.
World leaders declared renewed support for Ukraine on the third anniversary of the invasion. The show of solidarity contrasts with U.S. President Donald Trump’s hostility toward Ukraine and recent attacks on President Zelenskyi.
More than 40 leaders from across Europe and Canada assembled in Kyiv on Monday for a summit. Fourteen attended in person while another 27 joined online.
UK announces largest sanctions package against Russia since invasion
The UK announced on Monday its largest package of sanctions against Russia since the early days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The new economic measures will “target funds going into Putin’s war chest and propping up Russia’s kleptocratic system,” the UK government said in a statement announcing the decision. The sanctions will also target Russia’s military machine, entities in third countries who support it and the fragile supply networks that it relies on.
Targets include producers and suppliers of machine tools, electronics and dual-use goods for Russia’s military, including microprocessors used in weapons systems. These are based in a range of third countries including Central Asian states, Turkey, Thailand, India and China, which is the largest supplier of critical goods for Russia’s military, the statement reads.
The package also targeted North Korea’s defense minister No Kwang Chol and other North Korean generals and senior officials over the deployment of more than 11,000 North Korean forces to Russia.
The UK has also imposed sanctions on 13 Russian targets, including LLC Grant-Trade, its owner Marat Mustafaev and his sister Dinara Mustafaeva, who have used the company to funnel advanced European technology into Russia to support its illegal war.
For the first time, the country is also using new powers to target foreign financial institutions supporting Russia’s war machine. “We are sanctioning the Kyrgyzstan-based OJSC Keremet Bank, disrupting Russia’s use of the international financial system to support its war efforts,” it said in a statement.
The new sanctions will put further pressure on Putin’s energy revenues, the most vital source of funding for his illegal invasion. They include specification of another 40 ‘shadow fleet’ ships carrying Russian oil. The new sanctions on the ships have made the UK the nation with the most sanctions on Russian ships, 133 in total, in all of Europe.
“Finally, we are sanctioning 14 ‘New Kleptocrats’, some of whom are fronting up strategic sectors of Russia’s economy. Among them are Roman Trotsenko, one of the wealthiest men in Russia, worth £2.2 billion,” the UK government said.
In a government statement, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the action, the largest in three years, underscores the UK’s commitment to Ukraine.
EU approves 16th package of sanctions against Russia, here’s what’s in it
The EU announced on Monday it had approved the 16th package of sanctions against Russia.
“Russia and its leadership bear sole responsibility for this war and the atrocities committed against the Ukrainian population. We continue to call for accountability for all war crimes and crimes against humanity committed. We welcome the recent steps made towards the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine,” the presidents of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, of the European Council António Costa and of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen wrote in a joint statement announcing the sanctions.
“Together with partners, we have imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia and those complicit in the war and remain ready to increase the pressure on Russia to limit its ability to wage war,” the statement added.
“The European Union and its partners have acted swiftly and in unity to support Ukraine. The European Union has provided to Ukraine economic, humanitarian, financial and military assistance that totals to €135 billion, with €48.7 billion of military assistance. The European Union will continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support, including reconstruction of the country after the war,” the EU leaders said.
“In parallel, we have taken unprecedented actions at the EU level to ramp up European defence industry production, and we will continue to increase our capacity. This will allow us to step up our military support and cooperation with Ukraine while simultaneously strengthening our defence readiness and European sovereignty,” the statement reads.
Ukraine is part of our European family, the presidents said, adding that it has made significant progress in accession related reforms under the most challenging circumstances.
“We are already integrating Ukraine into the EU’s internal market. The future of Ukraine and its citizens lies within the European Union,” they said.
“In a challenging international and geopolitical environment, we stress the importance of maintaining transatlantic and global solidarity with Ukraine. We highlight the need to ensure the international community’s continued focus on supporting Ukraine in achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the Ukrainian peace formula,” the statement concludes.
As part of the package, the EU Council has imposed sanctions on “48 individuals and 35 entities responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.”
In addition, the Council established two new criteria that will allow the EU to impose restrictive measures on individuals and entities that own or operate vessels of Putin’s shadow fleet, and those supporting or benefitting from Russia’s military and industrial complex.
“This new round of sanctions not only targets the Russian shadow fleet but those who support the operation of unsafe oil tankers, videogame controllers used to pilot drones, banks used to circumvent our sanctions, and propaganda outlets used to spout lies,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a statement.
Further vessels were added to the list of those subject to a port access ban and ban on provision of a broad range of services related to maritime transport. “Seventy-four vessels originating from third countries were targeted today on these grounds, bringing the total of designated vessels to 153,” Kallas said in a statement.
For the first time, the EU is imposing a transaction ban on credit or financial institutions established outside Russia that use the ‘System for Transfer of Financial Messages’ (SPFS) of the Central Bank of Russia. SPFS is a specialized financial messaging service developed by the Central Bank of Russia to neutralize the effect of restrictive measures.
Furthermore, the Council decided to extend the prohibition on the provision of specialized financial messaging services to 13 regional banks considered to be important for the Russian financial and banking systems.
Additionally, today’s decision expands the list of restricted items that contribute to the technological enhancement of Russia’s defense and security sector by adding items for the development and production of Russia’s military systems, such as: chemical precursors to Chloropicrin and other riot control agents, software related to computer numerical control (CNC) machines, chromium compounds and controllers used to guide Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Lastly, the EU introduced further restrictions on exports of goods which contribute to the enhancement of Russian industrial capabilities (chemicals, some plastics and rubber) and their transit through Russia, as well as further restrictions on the import of primary aluminum, which generates significant revenues for Russia.
The Council today decided to suspend the EU broadcasting licenses of eight Russian media outlets under the permanent control of the Russian leadership, and to prohibit them from broadcasting their content. These are: EADaily / Eurasia Daily, Fondsk, Lenta, NewsFront, RuBaltic, SouthFront, Strategic Culture Foundation, and Krasnaya Zvezda / Tvzvezda.
The EU is prohibiting any transaction with certain listed ports, locks and airports in Russia that are used for the transfer of UAVs, missiles and related technology and components to Russia, or for the circumvention of the Oil Price Cap or other restrictive measures by vessels practicing irregular and high-risk shipping practices.
The package agreed today imposes further restrictions on exports of goods and technology, in particular software related to oil and gas exploration, in order to further restrict Russia’s exploration and production capacities.
The Council is also banning the provision of temporary storage for Russian crude oil and petroleum products within the EU, independently from the purchase price of the oil and the final destination of these products, it said in a statement.
