European Union sanctions against Russia as aid for fighting Ukraine 2014–2023

Abstract

The article concerns the confrontation between the European Union and the Russian Federation caused by the unjustified double aggression of Russian troops against the Republic of Ukraine. On the one hand, the EU provides significant financial and humanitarian assistance to the attacked state, but also to the aggressors, i.e. the Russian Federation. Far-reaching restrictive measures were agreed and implemented in the economic, mainly in the financial sphere and in the field of energy resources, as well as diplomatic restrictions. The sanctions are also aimed at Belarus, which is Russia’s closest ally and co-participant in the aggression against Ukraine. By mid-2023, the EU had adopted ten sanction packages, which in total affected 207 entities and 1,473 individuals. The actions of the EU institutions and member states have contributed to the weakening of the Russian economy and the reduction of Russia’s GDP, and have significantly made life difficult for the people of the Russian Federation and Belarus.