Latest Sanctions and embargoes News

EU cautiously agrees roadmap to ease sanctions on Syria in wake of Assad's downfall

Jan. 27, 2025 12:34 PM EST

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union foreign ministers on Monday agreed to begin lifting sanctions on Syria, while insisting that the measures should be reimposed if they see any abuses by the country’s new rulers. The EU started to impose asset freezes and travel bans on Syrian...

Belarus opposition and Western leaders reject election result that extends strongman's rule

Jan. 27, 2025 11:16 AM EST

Belarus' opposition activists and Western officials on Monday denounced an orchestrated election that extends the more than three-decade rule of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. The country's exiled opposition leader called the result “sheer nonsense.” The Central...

EU prolongs its Russia sanctions for 6 months after Hungary lifts its objections

Jan. 27, 2025 07:49 AM EST

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union agreed a 6-month extension Monday for a raft of sanctions aimed at depriving Russia of funds to finance its war against Ukraine after Hungary lifted its objections to the move. The sanctions target trade, finance, energy, technology, industry,...

EU rejects election in Belarus and threatens new sanctions

Jan. 26, 2025 10:54 AM EST

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union rejected the election in Belarus on Sunday as illegitimate and threatened new sanctions. Belarus held an orchestrated vote virtually guaranteed to give 70-year-old autocratic President Alexander Lukashenko yet another term on top of his three...

China tells Rubio to behave himself in veiled warning

Jan. 25, 2025 03:32 AM EST

BEIJING (AP) — China's veteran foreign minister has issued a veiled warning to America's new secretary of state: Behave yourself. Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed the message in a phone call Friday, their first conversation since Marco Rubio's confirmation as President Donald...

Hungary wants the EU to intervene in a gas dispute with Ukraine

Jan. 24, 2025 05:57 AM EST

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Friday said he wants the European Union to intervene in a gas dispute his country has with Ukraine, a potential sign of friction in the bloc's upcoming discussions over renewing sanctions against Russia. Speaking...

Syria's economic pains far from over despite Assad's ouster

Jan. 24, 2025 00:24 AM EST

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Samir al-Baghdad grabbed his pickax and walked up a wobbly set of stairs made of cinderblocks and rubble. He is rebuilding his destroyed family house in the Qaboun neighborhood near Damascus, Syria 's capital. The traditional building, which...

Trump’s threat of tariffs and sanctions on Russia over Ukraine may fall flat

Jan. 22, 2025 15:05 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to impose stiff taxes, tariffs and sanctions on Russia if an agreement isn’t reached to end the war in Ukraine, a warning that is likely fall on deaf ears in the Kremlin. The United States already prohibits the import of virtually...

Suspected settlers attacked Palestinian villages hours before Trump rescinded Biden sanctions

Jan. 22, 2025 02:27 AM EST

JINSAFUT, West Bank (AP) — Shortly after suspected Jewish settlers stormed Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank late Monday, setting cars and property ablaze, U.S. President Donald Trump canceled sanctions against Israelis accused of violence in the territory. The...

US rejects Venezuelan President Maduro's reelection, but keeps financial lifeline for his government

Jan. 19, 2025 01:03 AM EST

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Things seemed to be looking up for Venezuela in 2022. Following years of authoritarian rule and withering economic sanctions, President Nicolás Maduro had agreed to work toward a democratic presidential election. The White House, in return, granted him a financial...