Advisor – Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Sanctions Policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, met with the European Union’s Special Envoy for the Implementation of Sanctions, David O’Sullivan.
They discussed the impact of sanctions pressure on Russia. In particular, Russia’s GDP declined by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2026, marking the first officially confirmed quarterly contraction of the aggressor’s economy after a period of growth driven primarily by military spending. Russia’s overall goods exports also declined.
Particular attention was given to priority areas for the next round of sanctions steps and to the European Union’s 21st sanctions package against the Russian Federation. Vladyslav Vlasiuk emphasized the importance of limiting Russia’s ability to generate revenue from energy exports and increasing pressure on companies that support Russia’s defense-industrial complex. The discussion also focused on finding solutions to help counter the circumvention of sanctions.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk and David O’Sullivan also spoke about sanctions steps targeting individuals involved in organizing the illegal elections to the Russian State Duma, scheduled for September, in Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories.
“Everyone involved in organizing these so-called elections will inevitably face sanctions,” the Advisor – Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Sanctions Policy emphasized.
On the President’s instructions, Vladyslav Vlasiuk presented David O’Sullivan with the Order of Merit, III class.