Russia’s War Against Ukraine: European Union Responses and U.S.-EU Relations

Russia’s War Against Ukraine: European Union Responses and U.S.-EU Relations

Russia’s War Against Ukraine: European Union Responses and U.S.-EU Relations

Updated January 15, 2025

The 27-member European Union (EU) has implemented various policy responses to Russia’s war against Ukraine. EU actions and coordination with the United States may be of interest to Congress given the EU’s role as a U.S. partner on Ukraine. (Also see CRS In Focus IF12277, Russia’s War Against Ukraine: U.S. Policy and the Role of Congress.)

Key EU Responses

Sanctions

Since February 2022, the EU has imposed 15 packages of sanctions—or restrictive measures—intended to reduce Russia’s ability to finance the war against Ukraine, to enact costs on Russia’s elites, and to diminish Russia’s economic base. Imposing sanctions requires unanimity among EU members.

To date, EU sanctions on Russia’s government and financial, business, defense, technology, and media sectors include

• Freezing assets of roughly 2,400 individuals and entities (travel bans also apply to designated individuals);

• Restricting transactions with Russia’s central bank and blocking access to its reserve holdings;

• Expanding lending and investment restrictions on certain Russian banks and companies;

• Banning transactions with certain Russian state-owned military-industrial enterprises;

• Disconnecting 10 leading Russian financial institutions—including Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank—from SWIFT (the world’s dominant international financial messaging system);

• Expanding export controls on dual-use goods and technologies to Russia and selected entities in China, India, Kazakhstan, and elsewhere supporting Russia’s military- industrial complex;

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• Banning certain exports in the aviation, maritime, and technology sectors (e.g., semiconductors) and the export of drone engines and luxury goods to Russia;

• Prohibiting imports of steel, spirits, seafood, gold, diamonds, and other products from Russia;

• Closing EU airspace, seaports, and roads to Russian operators; and

• Suspending broadcasting activities of 18 Russian media outlets (including subsidiaries).

EU reliance on energy imports from Russia (prior to 2022 in particular) has posed challenges to sanctioning Russia’s energy sector. The EU has not prohibited Russian natural gas imports, but sanctions include

• Prohibiting imports of Russian seaborne crude oil and petroleum products (covering 90% of EU oil imports from Russia);

• Banning EU companies from providing oil transport services, except for Russian crude oil and petroleum products sold to non-EU countries at or below agreed price caps (established with the Group of Seven [G7] to reduce Russia’s oil revenues while keeping global energy markets stable);

• Prohibiting transshipment of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) through EU ports, among other LNG-related measures;

• Banning EU exports of oil-refining technologies; and

• Prohibiting Russian coal imports.

The EU also has sought to prevent the circumvention of sanctions and the oil price cap, including by prohibiting port access and services to ships in Russia’s shadow fleet and other maritime vessels contributing to Russia’s war effort.

EU Assistance to Ukraine

According to EU data, EU and member state support to Ukraine as of early January 2025 totaled nearly €134 billion. (U.S. dollar figures are slightly higher at the current €1:$1.03 exchange rate.)

Financial and Other Aid. Since 2022, the EU, its member states, and European financial institutions have collectively made available €67.3 billion in financial, humanitarian, and emergency aid for Ukraine, including

• €16.4 billion disbursed in 2024 (part of €50 billion in financial assistance for the 2024-2027 period, provided through a Ukraine Facility since March 2024);

• €18 billion in EU financial assistance in 2023 (as favorable loans); and

• €12.2 billion from member states.

The EU also has provided €17 billion for Ukrainian refugees within the EU and coordinates the delivery of in-kind emergency supplies to Ukraine.

Military Assistance. The EU and its member states have committed €48.3 billion in military support to Ukraine to date, consisting of

• €6.1 billion through the European Peace Facility (EPF), including €3.6 billion in military assistance financing and €2 billion for 1 million rounds of ammunition (either from member state stocks or through joint procurement) and

• An estimated €42 billion in bilateral military support from member states.

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In May 2024, the EU approved using the financial proceeds generated by the €210 billion in immobilized Russian sovereign assets held in the EU to support Ukraine. The EU made the first such transfer of €1.5 billion to Ukraine in July 2024, with 90% designated for military support through the EPF and 10% for reconstruction needs. The EU also has trained 70,000 members of Ukraine’s armed forces.

Reducing Energy Dependence

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU pledged to phase out all Russian fossil fuel imports— including natural gas—before 2030. According to the EU, the share of Russia’s pipeline gas in EU imports decreased from over 40% in 2021 to about 8% in 2023, although this decrease reflected in part Russia’s decision to reduce deliveries. Imports of Russian LNG have increased since 2022, and some EU officials suggest more effort is needed to address remaining EU energy imports from Russia.

U.S.-EU Cooperation and Congressional Interests

The Biden Administration and the EU worked together to respond to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Cooperation included devising and enforcing sanctions, suspending Russia’s preferential trade treatment under World Trade Organization rules, formulating the G7 oil price cap, and ensuring accountability for war crimes. The Biden Administration also committed to help the EU reduce its dependency on Russian gas, in part by boosting LNG shipments to the EU in 2022 and 2023.

In October 2024, U.S. and EU officials finalized a G7 plan for a $50 billion loan to Ukraine, to be repaid with proceeds earned on immobilized Russian sovereign assets. In December 2024, the United States approved a $20 billion loan as part of this initiative. In January 2025, the EU disbursed the first €3 billion tranche of its €18.1 billion loan contribution under the G7 initiative.

Some in the 119th Congress may be interested in monitoring EU policies toward Ukraine in the context of considering whether to support further U.S. assistance to Ukraine or assessing other U.S. policies toward Ukraine and Russia, including sanctions. EU responses to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine also may have implications for other aspects of U.S.-EU relations, including the NATO-EU partnership, U.S.-EU energy cooperation, and further Euro-Atlantic integration. Traditionally, bipartisan support has existed in Congress for EU enlargement. The EU declared Ukraine and neighboring Moldova official candidates for membership in 2022 and began accession negotiations in 2024, although joining the EU typically takes many years.

Author Information

Kristin Archick Section Research Manager

Disclaimer

This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United

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