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On 19 September, the European Commission presented proposals for the 19th sanctions package against Russia, which now has to be approved by all 27 EU member states.

The Commission's proposals focus on the energy sector, where it is planned to ban all Russian liquefied natural gas imports to the EU by January 2027, and expand sanctions against the "shadow fleet", including adding 118 ships to the sanctions list.

Some of the new sanctions will affect foreign companies. "We are targeting refineries, oil traders, and petrochemical companies in third countries, including China," European Commission President Ursula von den Leyen said.

In addition, Brussels proposes to prohibit Europeans from conducting transactions with a number of other Russian and third country banks (not full blocking sanctions, but a transaction ban). Some "foreign banks connected to Russian alternative payment systems", including the Bank of Russia's Financial Messaging System (SPFS), would also fall under a similar ban.

"And we propose further measures against Chinese actors supporting the Russian military-industrial complex," EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said in a written statement. The EU sanctions lists could also include Indian companies, Indian media speculate.

"The new sanctions will squeeze Russia's access to technology, including artificial intelligence and geospace data, as well as critical resources that are used in weapons production. These include resources obtained from suppliers in China and India," Kallas said.

In addition, von der Leyen said that the EU was working on "a new solution for financing Ukraine's defence efforts based on immobilised Russian assets". She said the EU could use "the cash balances associated with these assets [Bank of Russia reserves frozen under EU jurisdiction]" to provide Ukraine with a "reparations loan." "The assets themselves will not be touched," von der Leyen clarified.