Published
02/26/2026, 14:39During his visit to Bishkek, David O'Sullivan, the European Union's Special Envoy for Sanctions, said that Brussels is concerned about the possible circumvention of anti-Russian restrictions through Kyrgyz financial institutions.
According to him, the 19th package of EU sanctions included several banks and organizations working with cryptocurrency. This refers to a so-called transaction ban: European banks are prohibited from interacting with the specified structures. This effectively means their disconnection from the European financial system and correspondent relations.
At the same time, O'Sullivan stressed that the sanctions are not directed against Kyrgyzstan as a state. The restrictions are being imposed on European banks, which are prohibited from conducting transactions with organizations suspected of facilitating the circumvention of the sanctions regime.
During his visit, the special envoy held meetings with the National Bank and the Ministry of Economy, and also planned talks with the presidential administration, the Foreign Ministry, and the Cabinet of Ministers. The key topic was the risks of using the country's financial system to transit sanctioned goods to Russia.
