Kaja Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission and the EU's chief diplomat, stated that consensus on the new sanctions package against Russia within the European Union is unlikely to be reached by February 23.
“We will certainly discuss the 20th sanctions package; however, I doubt we will achieve any results today. Nevertheless, we will continue our efforts,” she noted before the start of the EU Foreign Ministers' Council meeting.
As reported by Reuters, Hungary is the main obstacle to agreeing on the new sanctions.
On February 6, the European Commission presented the 20th sanctions package against Russia, which affects the energy, financial services, and trade sectors. Its implementation requires approval from the EU Council, consisting of 27 member states.
According to Bloomberg, in January 2026, the European Union plans to impose a series of restrictions against Kyrgyzstan due to its support for Russia in circumventing sanctions.
As part of the new sanctions package against Moscow, the EU is considering the possibility of applying a tool that would prohibit the export of equipment and certain technologies to Kyrgyzstan.
First Deputy Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Daniyar Amangeldiev commented on the potential introduction of new sanctions at the Munich Security Conference.
He noted that the Cabinet of Ministers is actively engaging with the EU Special Envoy for Sanctions, David O'Sullivan, on this issue.
Amangeldiev also emphasized that the choice of Kyrgyzstan as a target for sanction pressure is threatening and reflects the principle of "hit the small so that the big ones fear," which the Kyrgyz side disagrees with.
Additional information:
Since the beginning of 2022, more than 20 companies from Kyrgyzstan have been subjected to sanctions by the U.S. and U.K. Treasury. Among them are major financial and oil and gas organizations. Secondary sanctions affect not only financial institutions and the oil sector but also companies engaged in:
- the supply of electronics and telecommunications equipment,
- IT infrastructure,
- aviation fuel,
- air transport, and others.
Economist Robin Brooks from the Brookings Institution notes a sharp increase in export supplies from Europe to Kyrgyzstan, including a 10,000% increase from Estonia, a 3,100% increase from Finland, and 2,200% and 2,100% increases from Poland and Greece, respectively. Supplies from Norway, the U.K., Germany, and the Czech Republic have also increased by more than 1,000%.
