Handelsblatt reports EU sanctions against Russia 'reached limit'

The EU countries have fully agreed on the 17th package of sanctions against RUSSIA, Handelsblatt reports, citing a European diplomat. It did not include any “controversial proposals” for fear of a veto by Hungary or Slovakia.

"We have reached the limit of what can be achieved with sanctions," the source said. In essence, the publication writes, the new measures "will not go beyond" the previous, 16th package.

The blacklist is expected to include oil tankers that the EU believes are linked to Russia's shadow fleet, EUObserver andREUTERS . According to the latter, dozens of companies will fall under the new measures for supporting the Russian military or helping to evade sanctions.

Handelsblatt recalls that representatives of European states have prepared the 17th package of EU sanctions. According to the publication, in Brussels the new package is perceived rather as "a minimum consensus", given that the preparations took several weeks, and the decision on it was made only in recent days.

According to dataBLOOMBERG , European leaders are ready to wait for a possible meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey before asking Washington to introduce new measures against Moscow.

Putin proposed resuming direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15. Zelensky said he would wait for him in Turkey in person. Trump also allowed for the possibility of coming to Istanbul. The Kremlin said that Russia is continuing to prepare for the talks, and the composition of the delegation will be announced "as soon as the president deems it necessary."

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