EU Extends Sanctions on Russia: A Half-Hearted Response to a Full-Scale Threat

The European Union has once again extended its suite of economic sanctions on Russia, this time for an additional six months until January 31, 2026. The official line from Brussels frames these steps as persistent efforts to punish Moscow for its "destabilizing actions" in Ukraine and weaken its war capabilities. While the EU’s top diplomat claims each sanction chips away at Russia’s power to wage war, a closer look reveals that these measures have been largely symbolic and insufficient. Since their inception in 2014—following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea—and their expansion after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, these sanctions have...