The Finnish Foreign Ministry announced the start of EU preparations for the 18th package of sanctions against Russia.

The European Union (EU) will immediately begin developing the 18th package of sanctions against Russia. This was announced on May 15 by Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.

"I believe that the 17th package [of sanctions] that we adopted was the right decision, and now we will immediately begin developing a new package," she said upon arrival at an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Turkey. Her words are quoted by TASS.

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On May 14, the AFP news agency reported that the EU ambassadors had agreed on the 17th package of sanctions against Russia. The sanctions will target vessels classified as Russia's "shadow fleet," as well as companies from China, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Serbia, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan that circumvent restrictions on energy trade.

The head of EU diplomacy, Kaya Kallas, at a press conference following the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Warsaw on May 8, said that the EC intends to adopt the 17th package of sanctions against Russia by May 20.