The Russian foreign ministry on Friday barred eight officials from the EU from entering the country in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Russian citizens, news wires reported. Among those banned are Vera Jourova, Commission VP for values and transparency, and David Sassoli,  European Parliament President.

The Kremlin said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would decide what counter sanctions to impose on Washington, a day after US President Joe Biden hit Moscow with an array of punitive measures, but gave no indication of timing.

The US imposed today new sanction on Russia for cyberattacks and election interference, news wires reported. According to a Treasury statement, sweeping action was taken against “16 entities and 16 individuals who attempted to influence the 2020 US presidential election at the direction of the leadership of the Russian Government." In addition to the broad sanctions issued by Treasury, the State Department announced it will expel 10 officials from Russia's diplomatic mission in the US.

China announced new sanctions today against US and Canadian officials in a growing political and economic feud over its policies in the traditionally Muslim region of Xinjiang. A statement from the Foreign Ministry on Saturday said the head of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Gayle Manchin, will be barred from visiting mainland China, Hong Kong or Macao, and having any dealings with Chinese financial entities.

China announced sanctions on several British politicians and organizations Friday after the UK joined the European Union and others in sanctioning Chinese officials accused of human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region. The move was the opening salvo in Beijing’s latest full-bore response to criticism and sanctions from the West.

China's foreign ministry summoned the head of the European Union's delegation to Beijing in protest after the bloc slapped sanctions on Chinese officials over the treatment of the mostly Muslim Uighur people, dpa reported. Nicolas Chapuis was summoned for talks on Monday, the ministry said in a Tuesday statement, during which China's Vice Foreign Minister Qin Gang said the punitive measures were based on "lies and false information."

China on Monday blacklisted 10 EU individuals and four entities in response to Brussels’ sanctions against Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region.

The EU imposed sanctions on Monday on four Chinese officials for human rights abuses in Xinjiang, news wires reported. These are the first EU sanctions against Beijing since an arms embargo in 1989 following the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

The EU's foreign affairs ministers are expected today to agree sanctions against various individuals and entities for human rights abuses, dpa reported. At a meeting in Brussels, the ministers are set to sanction four individuals and one entity from China for their involvement in human rights abuses of the Uighur population in Xinjiang province.

Germany hopes that its improved relations with the United States under US President Joe Biden will make a joint sanctions policy against China and Russia over human rights and other abuses possible, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Tuesday.