EU Delays 19th Sanctions Package Against Russia — Politico

The European Union has postponed discussion of its 19th sanctions package against Russia, originally scheduled for Sept. 17, Orda.kz reports, citing Politico.

The draft document was removed from the agenda of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, and no new date has been set. According to Politico, the delay is linked to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who is urging European countries to halt purchases of Russian oil.

Hungary and Slovakia remain the main EU buyers. Trump’s push may be tied not only to pressure on Moscow but also to U.S. economic interests, including boosting American oil and gas sales in Europe.

At the beginning of September, reports also surfaced that two banks from two Central Asian states may be included in the draft on the sanctions.

Bloomberg also claimed that EU authorities were discussing possible “instruments against sanctions circumvention” that could extend to Kazakhstan as part of the bloc’s next package of economic measures against Russia.

Kazakhstan responded by stating that no official notifications or warnings from the European Union regarding the use of so-called "sanctions circumvention instruments" had been received.