EU faces diminishing returns and internal friction for 21st Russia sanctions package

The EU is experiencing diminishing returns and internal friction in its efforts to impose further sanctions on Russia, with member states encountering difficulty in identifying new targets due to conflicting national economic interests. The confidence level in this assessment is medium, with key uncertainties surrounding the ability of EU member states to maintain a unified sanctions policy. The removal of Hungary's diplomatic cover is forcing other member states to publicly articulate their reservations, potentially complicating future consensus-building.