12 new “really high” names on EU sanctions list

José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission (left), and Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, speaking at a press conference following the first day of the European Council in Brussels, Belgium

The EU is expanding, but not intensifying its sanctions against Russia. The European Council has adopted conclusions, which further expand stage two sanctions, but without passing to stage three, EU official have said. The list of people targeted by stage two measures is to be expanded by 12 names, bringing it to a total of 33, “some of them really high ranking”, says the President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy, at a news conference following the first day of the EU Council.