EU adopts 17th package of restrictive measures against Russia

On 20 May 2025, the Council of the EU adopted its seventeenth package of restrictive measures against Russia, which supplements those detailed in our previous newsflashes.

This package significantly intensifies the restrictions on Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ and strengthens the EU’s efforts to prevent the circumvention of sanctions.

The Council has adopted seven regulations, which entered into force on 21 May 2025:

• Council Regulation (EU) 2025/932 of 20 May 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine.
• Council Regulation (EU) 2025/964 of 20 May 2025 amending Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilizing activities.
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/933 of 20 May 2025 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/958 of 20 May 2025 implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1485 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Russia.
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/959 of 20 May 2025 implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1542 concerning restrictive measures against the proliferation and use of chemical weapons.
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/965 of 20 May 2025 implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities.
• Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/968 of 20 May 2025 implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities.

Persons subject to an asset freeze

The 17th package has added 66 individuals and 67 entities to the list of persons subject to an asset freeze by amending four different regulations. Most notably, this includes Surgutneftegas (a major Russian oil company), as well as persons:

• supporting the Russian military;
• facilitating Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’;
• participating in sanctions circumvention;
• taking part in the looting of cultural heritage in occupied territories and the illegal exploitation of Ukrainian agricultural resources;
• responsible for human rights violations in Russia;
• involved in the use of riot control agents in Ukraine; and,
• spreading pro-Russian propaganda and undermining Russia’s democratic processes.

New asset freeze listing criteria

The Council introduced a new asset freeze listing criterion targeting persons involved in destabilising actions that can be attributed to the Russian government.

In addition, prior to adopting this package, on 14 May 2025, the Council also established a new listing criterion to target persons involved in transferring ownership, control, or economic benefits of businesses connected to leading Russian businesspersons.

Anti-circumvention

189 new vessels linked to Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ have been added to the list of vessels prohibited from accessing EU ports or receiving services in the EU, raising the total to 342. These vessels have been associated with the transportation of military goods, the circumvention of measures targeting the Russian energy sector, or the transportation of stolen Ukrainian grain.

Export restrictions

The Council imposed reinforced export controls on 31 new entities – 18 Russian-established and 13 established in third countries (Türkiye, Vietnam, UAE, Serbia and Uzbekistan) – for their involvement in supporting Russia’s military and industrial sector, or in sanctions circumvention.

Additionally, the Council expanded export restrictions on dual-use items to limit Russia’s access to technologies used on the battlefield. This includes chemical precursors to energetic materials and spare parts for machine tools.

Hybrid threat sanctions

The 17th package expanded the EU’s sanctions toolbox under Regulation 2024/2642 to address Russia’s hybrid threat. Under this widened framework, the Council is empowered to:

• prohibit transactions involving tangible assets – including vessels, aircraft, real estate, ports, airports, and physical components of digital and communication networks – where such assets are linked to Russian-driven destabilising activities;
• impose bans on transactions with non-EU financial institutions, crypto service providers, or other persons who support Russia’s destabilising actions;
• suspend broadcasting licences of Russian media, ban their transmission within the EU, and prohibit advertising in their programming, due to their role in misinformation campaigns that aim to destabilise the EU.