Russia Bans Entry of EU Officials in Response to 20th EU Sanctions Package

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a significant expansion of the list of European officials banned from entering Russian territory in response to the European Union’s twentieth sanctions package. This move is described as Moscow’s latest retaliatory action against Brussels’ sanctions.

In a statement released on Monday, the ministry characterized the EU’s twentieth sanctions package as a continued effort to pressure Russia through unilateral restrictive measures. Moscow emphasized that these policies would not alter the country’s foreign policy approach.

According to the statement, Russia has specifically prohibited entry to representatives of European institutions involved in decision-making related to military aid to Ukraine. Moscow stated that this measure has been taken as part of its reciprocal response to Brussels’ new sanctions.

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the European Union has enacted several sanctions packages against Russia, to which Moscow has responded with similar countermeasures.