On 8 September 2014, the European Union approved new sanctions against Russia. But it delayed enforcement and attached it to a ceasefire in Ukraine. So far there are nine sanctions by the EU and six by the U.S. against Russia.
The sanctions may have economic implications, but the goal – peace and stability in Ukraine – for which they were imposed, has remained elusive. Since February 2014, despite the sanctions, the fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels in east Ukraine has left more than 3,000 Ukranians dead. Western sanctions have only strengthened the rigid position of Moscow and contributed to a stalemate.