Europe must mount pressure against Russia, Kallas says as EU sanctions deadline looms

Chief EU diplomat Kaja Kallas urged EU member states to extend comprehensive sanctions on Russia following disagreements at an informal meeting in New York City, according to a press briefing on September 21. She stated that sanctions are a key component of the response to Russia's war, with plans to terminate them soon and swiftly.

EU ambassadors struggled to finalize a deal to renew sanctions against nearly 3,000 individuals and entities linked to Russia on September 21, with negotiations continuing just hours before the measures were set to expire. Disagreements arose over the delisting of Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman by France and Slovakia.

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze opposed the deal, arguing that EU sanctions against Russia must be strengthened, not weakened, and thus, Latvia could not agree to the proposal. The individual sanctions, which involve asset freezes and travel bans, require the unanimous approval of all 27 EU members. A temporary seven-day extension kept the existing measures in force until September 22, implying that failing to reach an agreement could result in the entire list expiring.