Europeans to pressure Russia with sanctions, says Germany
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said European leaders agreed to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BERLIN – European leaders agreed to increase pressure on Moscow through sanctions after US President Donald Trump briefed them on his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said late on May 19.
Mr Trump held calls on May 19 with Mr Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of the European Union, France, Italy, Germany and Finland in an attempt to bring the war in Ukraine to an end.
Mr Trump said after the call that Russia and Ukraine will immediately start ceasefire negotiations in the three-year-old conflict, but he did not appear to have secured major concessions in his two-hour phone call with the Kremlin leader.
“Europe and America are very united on this: We will closely support Ukraine on its path towards a ceasefire,” Mr Merz said in a post on X.
“Europe will increase the pressure on Moscow through sanctions. This is what we agreed upon with @POTUS after his conversation with Putin,” he added, using an abbreviation for the President of the United States.
Kyiv and its European allies have been pressing Moscow for an unconditional ceasefire in the war.
Russia, which is slowly but steadily advancing on the battlefield in Ukraine, has previously said that it was concerned Ukraine will use such a pause to regroup and re-arm.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on May 19 that Mr Putin and Mr Trump did not discuss a timeline for a ceasefire in Ukraine. However, the US leader did stress his interest in reaching agreements quickly. REUTERS
