The EU aims to gradually eliminate its imports of Russian gas and oil.

Translated by: Era Stojani 

Brief History of the Sanctions

The history of European sanctions against the Russian Federation does not begin in 2022, the year of Russia’s invasion of Ukrainian territory. The illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 had already led to a gradual imposition of sanctions and restrictive measures by the European Union against the Federation. It is worth noting that the EU’s economic sanctions on Russia, made conditional on Moscow’s full compliance with the Minsk Agreements, were periodically renewed. In addition, the recognition of the two self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk by the Russian Federation and the deployment of troops on Ukraine’s borders in February 2022 prompted the Council of the European Union to adopt a new sanctions package.

The European Response to the War of Aggression in Ukraine

The European Union’s response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine was swift and resolute: the 27 Member States unanimously condemned the invasion and agreed on the need to politically and economically isolate Russia, taking into account the violations of international law and calling for full accountability for war crimes and other violations committed. The main objective was to deliver a severe blow to the Russian economy to prevent the continuation of war funding.

To date, the European Union has adopted seventeen sanctions packages against the Russian Federation, making it the most sanctioned state in the world, with thousands of measures targeting specific individuals (so-called targeted sanctions) as well as those affecting the population at large (comprehensive sanctions). Some of the measures fall into the category of “smart sanctions,” as they aim to minimize negative consequences on the civilian population by focusing on specific individuals, companies, and assets.

Nevertheless, comparing the sanctions adopted following the annexation of Crimea (2014) with those adopted after the invasion of Ukraine (2022), a “shift in approach” by the European institutions is evident: they now appear more inclined to use comprehensive measures, which significantly impact the sanctioned country's population. For instance, one of the EU’s strategies was the suspension of certain Russian banks from the SWIFT system, aiming to isolate much of the Russian financial system and make international trade—especially with the West—more difficult.

The Energy Sector Dilemma

A particularly delicate issue concerns the energy sector: energy supplies from Russia have long been a key factor, which initially led EU leaders to act cautiously in adopting sanctions, due to fears of internal repercussions linked to several European countries’ dependence on Russian gas. Russia’s sudden war of aggression sparked widespread concern across EU countries about a potential and significant reduction in energy supplies—especially during the winter season—at a time when alternative suppliers could not be sourced quickly.

In this context, the “REPowerEU” plan, introduced by the European Commission in March 2022, was designed to reduce the EU’s energy dependency on the Russian Federation. This is to be achieved through the implementation of the decarbonization strategy, increased investment in renewable energy sources, and adherence to the principles set out in the Green Deal.

More recently, the European Commission reaffirmed its intention to gradually reduce reliance on Russian oil and gas, proposing a diversification plan and a restructuring of the European energy market.

The stated objective of reducing imports thus fits within the broader scope of the European Union’s competitiveness and energy security strategy, which aims to lessen dependence on countries such as the Russian Federation—rich in energy resources but distant from the EU in terms of values.

The final deadline has been set for 2027: by that date, signing new gas import contracts with Russia will be prohibited, and EU countries will be required to develop diversification plans to completely phase out purchases of Russian oil.

Mondo Internazionale-APS 2025