EU foreign ministers adopted a 16th package of sanctions against Russia on, which targets a cryptocurrency exchange for the first time, a Council statement said.

The European Union must take greater control of its sanctions policy against Russia as U.S. priorities shift, EU Economy and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Feb. 18.

The EU’s most extensive sanctions package, alongside new UK measures, aims to cripple Russia’s war efforts, tighten energy restrictions, and combat sanctions evasion as the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year.

The European Union's latest sanctions against Moscow include a ban on third-country airlines flying to the 27-nation bloc if they carry out domestic flights in Russia, the European Commission said on Monday.

The EU has introduced its 16th sanctions package against Russia, expanding financial restrictions, trade bans, and crypto-related controls.

Europe must support Ukraine more than ever, its foreign policy chief said on Monday, as the bloc agreed to impose more sanctions against Russia ahead of a flurry of meetings in Brussels, Kyiv and Washington this week.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will ask for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assistance to enforce sanctions on Russia when the two leaders meet this week in New Delhi.

China urged the European Union to stop sanctioning Chinese companies and discrediting the country, its commerce ministry said on Tuesday, after Chinese entities and individuals were included in the EU's latest sanctions package against Russia.

Hungary wants to remove eight individuals from the European Union's Russia sanctions list and receive fresh guarantees on Ukraine gas transit talks before agreeing to renew the restrictions, EU diplomats said.