British News Agency

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the agreement reached by European Union member states on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia.

In a post on social media, von der Leyen said the sanctions package is intended to further weaken Russia's war economy at a time when Ukraine is gaining military momentum on the battlefield.

Under the new package, 32 Russian banks will be added to the European Union's transaction ban list.

Cryptocurrency companies and oil trading platforms will also be subject to sanctions.

Von der Leyen announced that the price cap on Russian oil will remain frozen at its current level for one more year in order to prevent Russia from benefiting from volatility in global markets.

She also stated that, for the first time, the sanctions target vessels supporting the "shadow fleet" that Russia uses to circumvent sanctions.

Von der Leyen added that an important step has also been taken toward officially banning Russian soldiers from entering the European Union, and thanked Ireland, the current holder of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, for its contribution to reaching agreement on the sanctions package.