The European Union will continue to strengthen the sanctions pressure on Russia, while tightening the control of the already established restrictions. On September 16, during the annual address on the state of the European Union in the European Parliament, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced this. "We will tighten the sanctions against Russia. It is necessary to put pressure on Moscow," said von der Leyen. At the same time, he emphasized that it is not just about introducing new restrictions. According to him, the EU should first of all ensure the full implementation of the existing sanctions and close all ways to circumvent them. "Our sanctions are painful and deal a serious blow to the Russian economy. Russia is doing everything possible to bypass them, which is why we must close all the loopholes," said the head of the European Commission. The European Union has been gradually expanding sanctions against Russia since 2014, and after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it sharply increased their volume. In July 2026, the EU adopted the 21st package of sanctions. The restrictions refer, in particular, to energy, trade, transport, financial and technology export sectors.