The European Union built what was supposed to be an airtight wall against Russian sanctions evasion through crypto. Now several member states are trying to poke holes in it.

Countries within the bloc are demanding exceptions or outright blocking parts of Brussels’ latest sanctions packages targeting Russia, creating friction at a moment when the EU is attempting its most comprehensive crackdown on digital asset-based circumvention to date.

The crypto sanctions, explained

Russia legalized cryptocurrency for international payments back in 2024, essentially building a financial side door while the West was busy locking the front entrance.

The 20th sanctions package, adopted on April 23, 2026, introduced a full…