Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

“The Ukrainian people deserve a just and lasting peace. Their security is our security. There can be no real peace in Europe without real peace in Ukraine,” said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

“The European Parliament strongly emphasizes Ukraine’s inalienable right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter; reaffirms its firm belief that russia must be defeated and Ukraine must win,” reads the European Parliament’s resolution “On Four Years of russia’s Aggressive War Against Ukraine and Europe’s Contribution to a Just Peace and Sustainable Security for Ukraine.” At the same time, MEPs reiterated that “nothing concerning Ukraine should be decided without Ukraine, and nothing concerning Europe – without Europe.”

President of France Emmanuel Macron does not see any “desire for peace” on the russian side. At the same time, he believes that russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has resulted in a triple failure for the rf. “It (the war) has strengthened NATO, the expansion of which russia wanted to avoid; it has united Europeans, whom it sought to weaken; and it has exposed the fragility of an imperialism from another era,” Macron emphasized.

In his speech on the fourth anniversary of the start of russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pointed out that “we must refute the false narrative that russia is winning.” According to him, over the past year, the aggressor has captured only 0.8% of Ukraine’s territory “at the cost of horrific losses... half a million lives.”

“...We have witnessed something extraordinary – a nation that refused to kneel, a people who chose freedom over fear, dignity over submission, light over darkness,” said President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda on the fourth anniversary of russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs has called Ukraine “the first line of our defense”. “Our second and main line of defense is ourselves, our allies in the Baltic Sea region, in the European Union, and in NATO. We have been given time to prepare for war. To prepare so that there is no war, so that the aggressor does not attack, so that he does not dare. But we have no right to waste this time,” he stressed.

“We will always be grateful to Ukrainians for defending our peace and freedom, as well as the peace and freedom of all of Europe. Ukraine deserves a just peace. And we will support Ukraine with unwavering solidarity,” said President of Moldova Maia Sandu.

“Four years have passed since the moment of russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine. The Coalition of the Willing speaks with one voice: support for Ukraine will continue for as long as it takes. Evil must not win,” said Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk.

“...I condemn president putin as a criminal, I condemn the people who, on his orders, commit murder and rape against the Ukrainian people,” said Marshal of the Polish Sejm Włodzimierz Czarzasty on the fourth anniversary of the rf’s aggression against Ukraine.

The European Commission raised the Ukrainian flag on the anniversary of the start of russia’s full-scale invasion.

Latvia’s Seimas held an extraordinary session in support of Ukraine on the anniversary of the start of russia’s full-scale aggression.

“Europe will continue to support Ukraine unwaveringly: both in the military sphere and in the rear or in negotiations. It will continue to strengthen, rearm, and prepare for new russian aggressions, which will undoubtedly occur. Our countries have assessed the geopolitical challenge that russia poses to Europe and the world. Now we must respond to this challenge. Ukraine is showing us the way,” said a joint statement by the Ambassadors of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom to Ukraine, Gaël Vessière, Heiko Thoms, and Neil Crompton.

The UN System Coordinator in Ukraine Matthias Schmale calls on member states, organizations, the private sector, and all people to continue supporting Ukraine.

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola has signed a European loan for Ukraine for EUR 90 billion for 2026-2027.

The government of the United Kingdom has announced a new support package for Ukraine, including £20 million in new emergency energy support, £5.7 million in humanitarian aid to frontline communities, medical consulting for Ukrainian military medics, and training for Ukrainian helicopter pilots.

Denmark has announced an additional DKK 190 million (EUR 25 million) in humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

New Zealand is allocating a new aid package worth NZ$8 million ($4.7 million) to Ukraine and imposing additional sanctions against russia, including blacklisting 100 ships from the “shadow fleet”.

Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre has announced that this year, his country will allocate most of its military aid to Ukraine for the purchase of drones and unmanned systems.

Ukraine has recently received half of the latest air defense support package from its partners.

rf

russia, its leadership, and allies, such as the belarusian regime, bear full responsibility for the war, war crimes, and the crime of aggression against Ukraine. This is stated in a resolution of the European Parliament. The European Parliament calls for the rf and the belarusian regime to be held fully accountable for the war, which is “brutal, unprovoked, unjustified, and illegal” and constitutes “a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter, as well as an unprecedented attack on the European security architecture”.

“putin’s war of attrition is gradually weakening russia, and we are determined to keep up the pressure on russia to end its aggression and engage in constructive peace talks. We are determined to increase pressure on russia’s energy and financial sectors and take additional measures against the “shadow fleet”, says the joint statement by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council António Costa, and President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola on the fourth anniversary of the rf’s aggression against Ukraine.

The European Union plans to ban all russians who participated in the war against Ukraine from entering the Schengen area. This was announced by President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas. “Together with the European Commission, we are working to ensure that potentially hundreds of thousands of former russian military personnel do not enter the Schengen area,” she said. Besides, Kallas announced that a decision had been made to limit the maximum size of the russian mission to the European Union to 40 people.

The UK has added russian oil giant “transneft” to its sanctions lists, along with nearly 300 other organizations, ships, and facilities. “transneft” – one of the world’s largest pipeline operators – transports more than 80% of russia’s oil exports. In particular, 175 companies belonging to the 2Rivers oil network, one of the world’s largest operators of the “shadow fleet” and one of the main traders in russian crude oil, have been subject to restrictions. In addition, 48 oil tankers have been added to the list. The sanctions list also includes at least three companies affiliated with rosatom and gazprom and novatek’s medium-tonnage LNG projects in the Baltic Sea.

Australia has imposed additional targeted sanctions against 180 individuals, legal entities, and ships of russia’s “shadow fleet”. This is Australia’s largest sanctions package since February 2022. The new sanctions are aimed at the financial and banking, defense, aviation, oil and gas, transport, and scientific and technical sectors of the rf.

France intends to seek a complete blockade of transportation of russian oil by the “shadow fleet” and does not rule out the use of military means. This was announced by Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Noël Barrot.

The government of India is against further cooperation between russian insurance companies and Indian clinics.

Over the past 12 months, russia’s budget revenues from oil and gas sales have been by almost 30% lower than in the same period before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

This year, against the background of growing fiscal pressure initiated by the government of the rf, which is in dire need of money to finance the war in Ukraine, there may be a mass closure of small and medium-sized businesses. The process of micro-enterprises (with up to 15 employees and annual revenues of up to 120 million rubles) leaving the market has already accelerated due to a threefold reduction in the revenue threshold at which entrepreneurs must pay VAT, to 20 million rubles. Under these conditions, thousands of such companies may close in 2026. These include small cafes, shoe manufacturers, freight carriers, bakeries, and other similar businesses.

In 2025, russians spent 128.3 billion rubles on funeral services. This is by 3.3% more than a year earlier. In December 2025, digging a grave cost an average of 12,600 rubles – by 13% more than in 2024. The cost of having a coffin made increased by 9.3%. In addition, in the first half of 2025, the number of new companies in the funeral sector increased by 18% year-on-year (+248).

Exports of far eastern coal fell by 2.5% in January.

At the end of 2025, the volume of vacant warehouse space in moscow and moscow region reached 477,000 square meters, while a year earlier the figure was no more than 10,000 square meters.

The cost per square meter in new buildings in russian cities with a population of over one million rose at the beginning of the year amid tighter conditions for preferential programs. moscow led the growth, with an average monthly price increase of 6.2%. It was followed by kazan (2.9%), perm (2.3%), st. petersburg (2.2%), and yekaterinburg (2%). At this, the high-budget sector saw the largest price increase. The premium class rose in price by 13%, the business segment – by 2.6%, and the comfort class – by 2.3%.

In st. petersburg, the number of real estate transactions in new buildings decreased by 24% during the year 2025. There was an annual decline in transactions in 33 regions of the rf. Sales of new flats  fell the most in ivanovo region (31%), followed by the khanty-mansi autonomous district with 27.3%, and st. petersburg closed the top three with 24%.

Not a single shoe shop opened in moscow shopping centers in the fourth quarter of 2025. As of February 2026, no new shoe brands had entered moscow’s market either.

Food prices may rise in st. petersburg after the introduction of a ban on migrants working in trade. “We can ban migrants from trading, but the laws of economics will force us to pay for it. And very harshly: either prices will rise, or shelves will be empty, or gray employment will appear,” said member of the legislative assembly irina ivanova.

In st. petersburg, vegetables became by 11.7% more expensive in the first month of 2026. Cucumbers rose in price the most – by 43.2%, fresh tomatoes – by 27.4%, carrots – by 18.1%, white cabbage – by 13.2%, onions – by 10.9%, potatoes – by 10.2%, apples – by 9.5%, and table beets – by 8.5%.

At least 4,029 people in russia and the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories have been involved in politically motivated criminal cases related to the war against Ukraine. As of February 18, 2026, 3,059 people remain in custody. The courts have handed down 2,730 verdicts, of which 2,302 involve actual prison terms. There have been no acquittals.

The government of the rf has announced its intention to reinstate permanent customs control at the border with belarus. The measure is aimed at “protecting russia’s market from unfair imports”.

In January 2026, the nominal average salary in belarus fell by 11.4%.

During four years of war and support for Ukraine, at least 403 people have been convicted in belarus, of whom more than 200 are still in prison.