The European Commission announced it will convene discussions with EU member states and international partners on April 8 to assess the enforcement of sanctions against Russia and Belarus.
Commissioner Maria Luis Albuquerque will preside over the seventh meeting of the High-Level Group on Union Restrictive Measures. The EU stated the meetings are aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus.
High-level representatives from EU member states will discuss the coordination of sanctions implementation and further enforcement, considering recent geopolitical events. The fifth Sanctions Coordinators Forum will include participants from the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Ukraine.
The EU emphasizes that the Forum serves as a platform for ensuring the full and effective implementation of EU sanctions, addressing potential circumvention via third countries, and aligning efforts with international partners. On April 1, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas mentioned discussions regarding a potential 17th sanctions package against Russia.