EU plans to ban Russian soldiers from bloc in fresh sanctions on Moscow

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said the bloc’s sanctions against Russia were ‘biting hard and cutting deep’. Photograph: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images View image in fullscreen The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said the bloc’s sanctions against Russia were ‘biting hard and cutting deep’. Photograph: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images EU plans to ban Russian soldiers from bloc in fresh sanctions on Moscow Banks, crypto firms and Kremlin oil reserves also targeted in 21st set of measures since full-scale invasion of Ukraine The EU hopes to ban Russian soldiers from entering its territory as part of further sanctions against Moscow that also target banks, crypto firms and the Kremlin’s oil revenues. Announcing the proposals on Tuesday, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “We propose for the first time to ban from entry into the European Union anyone who has served in the Russian armed forces since the beginning of the war. So Europe stays off limit for anyone who has participated in the invasion of Ukraine, as simple as that.” The proposed visa ban on combatants is part of the EU’s latest tightening of sanctions against Russia, proposals that could be amended and must be agreed unanimously by 27 member states. “Our sanctions keep biting hard and cutting deep. They are weakening the economic foundations of Russia’s war effort,” von der Leyen said as she introduced the plans, the 21st set of measures since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The commission also wants to maintain a price cap on Russian oil at $44 until January 2027, which would prevent the Kremlin reaping gains from rising crude prices triggered by the closure of the strait of Hormuz. “We want to maintain the full intensity of our sanctions,” von der Leyen said. EU officials also want to add 30 “shadow fleet” vessels helping Russia evade western sanctions to its blacklist, in addition to 632 already under restrictions. View image in fullscreen Dashan, a tanker from Russia's ‘shadow fleet’, transits the Bosphorus en route to the Black Sea in December 2025. Photograph: Yoruk Isik/Reuters Brussels wants to extend sanctions against cryptocurrency firms that are helping Russia cope with being shut out of western capital markets. It proposes placing sanctions on 20 banks, crypto firms and oil traders in third countries deemed to be helping Russia dodge sanctions. Estonia put a ban on Russian ex-combatants on the agenda earlier this year. Its foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, told reporters in January that a visa ban was necessary for Europe’s security. “Putin will push these people to Europe,” he said, citing ongoing hybrid attacks by Russian agencies in the EU . “Can you imagine these hundreds of thousands of ex-combatants, criminals coming here?” he said. “I am sure they are not going to just work and pay all taxes. No, they are going to do many bad things.” Von de Leyen also confirmed the decision to