“If in a few days, at the end of the two-week period he had indicated to [U.S.] President [Donald] Trump, Vladimir Putin continues to oppose a high-level meeting with the president of Ukraine, then we will need to force by hardening sanctions — sanctions from the United States, but also European sanctions,” Barrot told reporters in Copenhagen.
The EU is working on a 19th package of sanctions against Russia, most likely targeting the energy and financial sectors, while also exploring the possibility of new tariffs against Russian exports to turn the screws on Moscow’s economy, per a discussion paper seen by POLITICO.
But such actions need to be matched by the United States to persuade Putin to stop his attacks on Ukraine, agree to a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and finally accept a ceasefire in his war against Kyiv, other ministers said.
“Now we are working on the 19th sanctions package. I think it would be so important if we can do this with our transatlantic friends, notably the United States,” said Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.
On Aug. 22, Trump set a two-week deadline — the latest in a series of deadlines — for Putin to agree to direct talks with Zelenskyy to end the war, threatening consequences if the Russian ruler failed. But EU leaders have voiced skepticism about the likelihood of this meeting taking place, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying it was unlikely to happen.
Hence the calls from other countries to raise the pressure now.
