PARIS, August 30. /TASS/. France is set to table new proposals for sanctions against Russia during an informal gathering of EU foreign ministers in Copenhagen, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told reporters ahead of the meeting.

"I will present proposals developed by France so that we can deplete the resources that [Russia] is investing in this war and stop the Russian war machine by targeting the energy sector, the financial sector, and perhaps also certain civilian segments that continue to indirectly support Russia’s military efforts," Barrot said.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas confirmed that sanctions expansion would be on the agenda, though she emphasized that no binding decisions can be made at this stage.

The 19th sanctions package

The European Commission is preparing its 19th package of measures, which Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised to adopt in September. According to Politico, the bloc has largely exhausted its most effective levers of economic pressure on Moscow, meaning few surprises are expected. The new package will reportedly include tighter restrictions on Russia’s energy and banking sectors, along with the blacklisting of additional individuals and entities.

Von der Leyen also pledged "new steps" on the handling of frozen Russian assets. The Commission later clarified that this would not involve outright expropriation, but rather the further confiscation of income generated by reinvestment of the €210 billion in Russian sovereign assets blocked within the EU.

Brussels is also weighing the use of secondary sanctions - penalties aimed at countries and companies outside the EU that continue trading with Russia and helping it circumvent restrictions.