The European Union is going to impose sanctions against Kyrgyzstan for assisting Russia
The European Union is considering imposing sanctions against Kyrgyzstan for the first time for facilitating Russia in circumventing restrictions. According to Bloomberg , these measures are being discussed as part of the preparation for the 20th package of sanctions related to the war in Ukraine.
Agency sources report that a special mechanism for punishment for circumventing sanctions may be applied against Kyrgyzstan. In particular, it is planned to prohibit the supply of machine tools and radio-electronic equipment to the country.
After the start of the war, Kyrgyzstan became an important trade hub through which European goods subject to sanctions entered Russia. Analysts at the Brookings Institution note a sharp increase in exports from EU countries to Kyrgyzstan: supplies from Estonia increased tenfold, from Finland, Poland, Greece, and other states — by thousands of percent. As a result, a significant part of these exports effectively ended up on the Russian market.
In addition, the Grinex crypto exchange began operating in Kyrgyzstan, where only the A7A5 stablecoin, pegged to the Russian ruble, is used. This instrument, launched with the participation of a Russian defense bank and businessmen, has become a means of international settlements under sanctions. By early 2026, the volume of operations with it reached about 100 billion dollars.
In the new sanctions package, the EU is also considering additional restrictions against Russian banks, oil companies, crypto services, and financial structures in third countries that help circumvent existing sanctions.
In addition, Brussels is discussing the idea of a complete ban on maritime transportation of Russian oil. Such a measure is intended to replace the current "price cap" mechanism, which allows the transportation and insurance of oil from Russia provided that its price is below the set level. From February, this limit should be slightly more than 44 dollars per barrel.
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