World · Europe · 9 hrs ago
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Says EU Has Run Out of Pressure Levers
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said the EU has exhausted its pressure levers against Moscow.
He said EU countries are finding it increasingly difficult to agree on restrictions targeting specific sectors.
Measures adopted on October 12 were not formally called a 22nd sanctions package, Pankin said, and he described them as an expansion of lists of sanctioned people and organizations.
The EU has said it may agree on a full 22nd package in the near future, but when it might be approved remains unclear.
Pankin argued that sanctions are not working and are harming EU economies as well as global energy and food security.
The next step could be a broader EU sanctions package, though its timing and contents have not been set out.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said the EU has exhausted its leverage over Moscow.
He said EU countries are finding it increasingly difficult to agree on sectoral restrictions.
Pankin cited measures adopted on October 12 that were not officially designated as a 22nd sanctions package.
He said the EU had expanded its blacklists and was threatening a full-fledged 22nd package in the near future.
Pankin argued that sanctions are harming EU economies and undermining global energy and food security.
- Who
- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin.
- What
- He said the EU has exhausted its pressure levers over Russia and criticized its sanctions.
- When
- November 8, 2026.
- Where
- In an interview with TASS; the location of the interview was not stated.
- Why
- Pankin said it was increasingly difficult for EU countries to agree on sectoral restrictions and argued that sanctions harm EU economies and global energy and food security.
Russian government
European Union
Sanctions
Russian government
Pankin said the EU had exhausted its leverage and that sanctions were not working.
European Union
The EU was threatening to agree on a full-fledged 22nd sanctions package in the near future.
Restrictions
Russian government
Pankin said it was increasingly difficult for EU countries to agree on sectoral restrictions.
European Union
The article does not state the EU's view on the difficulty of agreeing on sectoral restrictions.
Measures against Russia were adopted, but were not officially designated as a 22nd sanctions package.
Pankin made his remarks in an interview with TASS.
- Speaker
- Alexander Pankin
- Position
- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister
- Outlet
- TASS
- Measures cited
- Adopted on October 12
- Potential next package
- Full-fledged 22nd EU sanctions package
- Published
- November 8, 2026
What people are saying
EU member states have exhausted levers of pressure on Russia in their structural weakness
increasingly difficult
The EU cannot fail to realize that anti-Russian sanctions are not working, but are causing far greater damage to their own economies while also undermining global energy and food security