The EU has extended its sanctions on Russia for six more months, keeping restrictions in place until at least 2026. Despite surviving earlier sanctions by shifting trade toward China and India, Russia’s wartime economy is now under pressure. Inflation has reached 10%, interest rates have risen to 20%, and recession fears are growing. The Kremlin’s military spending is worsening labor shortages and inflation. President Putin has urged the central bank to balance inflation control with economic growth amid ongoing financial stress.