The European Commission has today adopted a joint (High Representative-Commission) proposal for a new package of measures “to maintain and strengthen the effectiveness of the EU’s six wide-ranging and unprecedented packages of sanctions against Russia”. Today’s “maintenance and alignment” package clarifies a number of provisions “to strengthen legal certainty for operators and enforcement by Member States”. It also further aligns the EU’s sanctions with those “of our allies and partners, in particular in the G7”. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine continues unabated. Therefore, we are proposing today to tighten our hard-hitting EU sanctions against the Kremlin, enforce them more effectively and extend them until January 2023. Moscow must continue to pay a high price for its aggression”. The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said: “The EU’s sanctions are tough and hard-hitting. We continue to target those close to Putin and the Kremlin. Today’s package reflects our coordinated approach with international partners including the G7”.