EU to press ahead with 19th round of sanctions against Russia, targeting payments and cryptocurrencies


 the European Union is exploring new sanctions against about six Russian banks and energy companies as part of its latest round of pressure measures to force Russian President Putin to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. According to sources, the package plan (which would be the EU's 19th round of sanctions since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022) may also target Russia's payment and credit card systems, cryptocurrency exchanges, and further restrictions on the country's oil trade.