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Sibona, M. “Tackling Circumvention of EU Sanctions”, Brief, Jacques Delors Institute, October 2024

On June 24, 2024, the EU adopted its 14th sanctions package following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, including several measures with a strong anti-circumvention angle as previously anticipated by Executive Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis in April 2024. At a time when Western support for Ukraine — including from the US — is weakening, it is essential to reflect on all the restrictive measures the Union has adopted so far, to understand their weak points and what should be done to maximise their effectiveness. Europe should be particularly aware that supporting Ukraine should be its foremost objective for collective security. The consequences of a Ukrainian defeat are uncertain, but it is highly likely that such an outcome would be extremely negative for the rest of the continent.