EU plans to advance the 19th round of sanctions against Russia, targeting payments and cryptocurrency

According to Foresight News, the EU is exploring new sanctions on about six Russian banks and energy companies as part of its latest round of pressure to force Russian President Putin to end the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The package, which will be the 19th round of sanctions from the EU since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict broke out in 2022, could also target Russia’s payment and credit card systems, cryptocurrency exchanges, and further restrictions on the country’s oil trade, according to people familiar with the matter.