EU Adopts 19th Sanctions Package

The European Union has adopted its 19th round of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine. The Kazakh subsidiary of Russian VTB Bank was included in the new list, Orda.kz reports.

No More Objections

The Danish Presidency of the EU Council confirmed the decision. Slovakia had previously blocked the package, with Prime Minister Robert Fico demanding guarantees on energy prices and support for the automotive and heavy industries from the European Commission.

After his conditions were included in the final communiqué of the EU summit, Bratislava withdrew its objections, Reuters reported. The written approval process has already begun. If no further objections are received, the package will be approved by 8 a.m. tomorrow.

LNG

For the first time, the sanctions include a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) — one of the most sensitive measures for the European energy market. Short-term contracts will expire in six months, and long-term ones on January 1, 2027 — a year earlier than initially proposed by the European Commission’s plan to phase out Russian fossil fuels.

Banks 

In addition, sanctions were imposed on banks from Kazakhstan and Belarus, as well as four Chinese companies linked to the oil sector. According to diplomatic sources, these include two oil refineries, one trader, and another company accused of helping Russia bypass sanctions in oil and other industries.

Restrictions on VTB Bank Kazakhstan will take effect on December 2, 2025.

A year ago, VTB CEO Andrey Kostin, who has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018, was charged in a Manhattan federal court with money laundering and sanctions violations — offenses carrying up to 40 years in prison.

Incidentally, on October 13, President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev met with Kostin in Astana. 

Aqorda’s statement about the meeting was reserved:

During the meeting, we discussed issues of further strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation in the financial, banking, and investment sectors.

VTB Bank Kazakhstan had already faced complications in July 2024, when the U.S. Treasury Department listed companies whose cooperation could trigger secondary sanctions.

Following that announcement, Home Credit Bank refused to work with the Russian bank’s subsidiary.

The new sanctions package also targets several banks in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which will come under EU restrictions starting November 12, 2025:

• AKB Tolubay (Kyrgyzstan)
• Eurasian Savings Bank (Kyrgyzstan)
• Spitamen Bank (Tajikistan)
• Dushanbe City Bank (Tajikistan)
• Commercial Bank of Tajikistan

These measures are part of broader EU efforts to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions through financial institutions in Central Asia.

Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration Andriy Yermak noted that another round is already underway:

Many of our proposals have been included in the new package. But we're not stopping there. Package No. 20 is already being prepared. The logic is simple: less money for Russia, fewer missiles targetting Ukraine.

Original Author: Alina Pak