The European Union has introduced new sanctions targeting nine businessmen linked to Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil, along with shipping companies owning and managing oil tankers, labeled as part of a Russian shadow fleet. Additionally, 14 individuals and organizations have been sanctioned under measures addressing hybrid threats.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the German Bundestag and met with German officials including President Steinmeier and Chancellor Merz to discuss potential ceasefire plans and the prospect of early elections in Ukraine. These talks come amid growing hopes for peace, with significant concessions reportedly being considered, such as Ukraine renouncing NATO membership.

The Kremlin insists that Ukraine’s potential NATO accession and territorial concessions in Donbass remain central issues in any peace negotiations. EU officials stressed the importance of not ceding the Donbass region to Russia, warning that such a concession would endanger Ukraine’s sovereignty. The negotiations involve European leaders alongside US and NATO representatives, indicating the high stakes of the discussions in Berlin.