The U.S. and Japan this week agreed to improve “technology protection” measures and enforcement coordination as part of a new Technology Prosperity Deal. Japan also agreed to pursue new sanctions against the Russian shadow fleet, strengthen foreign investment reviews and commit to work with the U.S. to strengthen critical minerals supply chains.
China's Ministry of Commerce this week urged the U.K. to reverse its recent sanctions against Chinese companies for supplying electronic parts to Russia's defense sector (see 2510160021), saying it "firmly opposes" the restrictions.
Four Senate Democrats criticized the Trump administration Oct. 23 for ignoring their earlier call to sanction Chinese individuals and entities that buy liquefied natural gas from the U.S.-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project in Russia.
Beijing objected to the EU’s new Russia-related sanctions package, approved this week, saying it “strongly deplores and firmly rejects the EU’s repeated illicit unilateral sanctions against Chinese companies over Russia-related issues.” A Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson said the country “lodged protests with the EU side.”
Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., urged the Trump administration late Oct. 22 to increase sanctions on the “shadow fleet” of tankers Russia uses to get around the international price cap on its oil.
EU member states this week signed off on a new package of Russia-related sanctions that will ban imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, designate more shadow fleet vessels, target more Russian and foreign banks, introduce new export controls and more. The package, proposed in September (see 2509190029) and approved this week, came just after the U.S. sanctioned major Russian energy companies Rosneft, Lukoil and their subsidiaries because Russia hasn't agreed to a peace deal to end its war in Ukraine (see 2510220050).
The U.S. should follow up its new Russia energy sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil with more designations in the coming weeks, said John Herbst, senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, in a commentary published by the Atlantic Council. To push for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump should “prepare for a monthslong ratcheting up of pressure on Moscow,” Herbst said. “At the moment, all [Russian President Vladimir] Putin sees for sure is another round of sanctions. It must not be the last round.”
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved several bills by voice vote Oct. 22 that could lead to additional sanctions on China and Russia.
The U.K. issued a new general license Oct. 22 authorizing certain transactions with the German subsidiaries of major Russian energy firm PJSC Rosneft Oil: Rosneft Deutschland and RN Refining & Marketing. The license authorizes the "continuation of business" activities with those subsidiaries -- including payments, contracts and the exchange of economic resources -- and any entity they own or control. The license, which expires Oct. 22, 2027, comes about a week after the U.K. sanctioned Rosneft (see 2510160021).
The Treasury Department on Oct. 22 announced new sanctions against Russia -- including against major energy companies Rosneft and Lukoil -- due to Moscow’s “lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine.”