OR European Union It considers the possibility of cutting more than 20 banks from the Swift, the international payment system, as well as reduce the ceiling for Russian oil and banning Nord Stream gas pipelines as part of a new package sanction aimed at increasing pressure toward Russia To end its war against Ukraine, according to Bloomberg.

The Commission consults with the Member States on plans, according to the agency citing people with knowledge of the matter. There has not yet been a decision on the timetable of possible restrictions, the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said. It is noted that EU sanctions require the support of all Member States and could be amended before they are formally proposed and adopted.

The EU is also considering additional banks and new commercial restrictions worth around 2.5 billion euros, as it seeks to further reduce Russia’s revenue and its ability to obtain the necessary technology for weapons.

As part of the debate under discussion of measures, the Commission also plans to propose to reduce the G7 oil prices to about $ 45, Bloomberg sources said.

This move would probably require US support. The price threshold, which prohibits G7 service providers from transporting and trading slowly sold above the ceiling, has currently been set at $ 60. G7 finance ministers have failed to reach an agreement to reduce the ceiling during their meeting in Canada this week.

Discussions take place as US President Donald Trump has encouraged Moscow and Kiev to conduct direct talks on ceasefire and reaching a peace agreement. Trump has so far avoided imposing new sanctions on Russia, despite the fact that he has threatened to do so several times. The sanctions adopted under the presidency Joe Biden remain in force.

The EU plan to impose sanctions on Nord Stream pipelines is already in support of Germany. For German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz, who told Rome last week that he is supporting the Commission’s proposal “to start working for European measures against Nord Stream 2 pipelines”, a basic hope is that sanctions could mitigate the internal discussions.

Rumors of a possible revival of the pipeline have been intensified as Trump was pushing to mediate peace between Russia and Ukraine. Even without an official ban, the operation of Nord Stream 2 – which was built but never certified by Germany and suffered partial damage from explosions in 2022 – is unlikely to happen soon.

Sanctions would give weight to Europe’s position that it does not want any substantial revival of the pipeline. A ban will also protect Berlin from dealing with any American or Russian pressures on its own. Separately, the block plans to gradually remove Russian fossil fuels by the end of 2027.

At the same time, the EU is seeking to expand its sanctions on the shadow fleet of Russia and is considering further restrictions on banks that are considered to help Moscow’s war efforts, as well as the Russian Foreign Fund, sources said.