European sanctions against Russia do not have legally binding force under international law, as they are not imposed with a mandate from the United Nations (UN).
This was stated by the EU Special Envoy for Sanctions David O'Sullivan in an interview with the Ukrainian publication Kyiv Independent.
O'Sullivan explained that due to Russia's veto power in the UN Security Council, the coordination of universal measures is impossible. For this reason, the legitimacy and effectiveness of European restrictions rest entirely on the large-scale coalition between the EU, the G7 countries and partners such as Australia, South Korea, Norway and Switzerland.
The diplomat stressed that the main challenge at the moment remains the circumvention of sanctions by private traders in Central Asia, the Caucasus and the UAE, seeking a quick profit. As the most serious and organized problem, he pointed to China, which continues to deliberately fill market niches in the Russian economy. However, O'Sullivan is categorical that Brussels has the firm determination to “hold the line“ of economic pressure on Moscow.