Italian PM says EU preparing 16th package of sanctions against Russian Federation

The European Union (EU) has started preparing the 16th package of sanctions against Russia. This was announced by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on December 17.

"We supported the recent adoption of the 15th package of sanctions, and the 16th package is now being drafted," she said, speaking in the Chamber of Deputies in the Italian parliament ahead of the upcoming EU summit. It was broadcast on the YouTube channel of the lower house of the Italian parliament.

The EU summit will be held on December 18-19 in Brussels.

The day before, on December 16, the EU foreign ministers approved the 15th package of economic and individual sanctions against Russia. The list of restrictions includes 54 individuals and 30 organizations. Restrictions were also imposed on 52 vessels.

Plus everyone: who was hit by the new EU sanctions

And why the approval of another package speaks of Russia's successful resistance to Western pressure

First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Svetlana Zhurova, reacting to the next EU sanctions, said that Russia has already gotten used to the regular introduction of new restrictions and is trying to quickly adjust to the new realities.

Prior to that, on November 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the volume of Western anti-Russian sanctions unprecedented. According to him, the restrictions have not inflicted on Russia "a crushing blow, from which it will not be able to recover". The head of state emphasized that no sanctions will not change the fact that Russia is actually needed by the world.

Western countries have tightened sanctions pressure on Russia in connection with the special operation to protect Donbass. The decision to launch it was announced on February 24, 2022 after the situation in the region worsened due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.