Statement on the eighth Sanctions Coordinators Forum
Today, EU Sanctions Envoy, David O’Sullivan, convened the eighth Sanctions Coordinators Forum, gathering high‑level representatives from all EU Member States and a broad coalition of international partners (the UK, the US, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland). Representatives of the Government of Ukraine joined for a dedicated session.
With Russia’s war against Ukraine now in its fifth year, this meeting offered a chance to assess the lasting effect of the sanctions adopted jointly and to deepen cooperation within the coalition.
The Forum’s discussions centered on priority areas to keep sustained pressure on the Kremlin’s war effort. Participants exchanged views on emerging circumvention trends and patterns, safeguarding the international banking sector, as well as the strategic and operational response to tackle crypto‑lead evasion schemes. The discussions also covered the state of play of the Russian military industrial complex and how to further constraint the energy sector.
Following the Forum, EU Sanctions Envoy David O’Sullivan said:
“In today’s meeting, we collectively reiterated our unwavering commitment to disrupt Russia’s ability to pursue its war effort. Coalition partners have kept up the pace of their measures. It’s also true that the effect of our measures depends on how well they are implemented and enforced. Our discussions emphasised the need to close loopholes effectively and to crack down on circumvention to ensure maximum effect”.
