The European Union, EU, is preparing a fresh wave of sanctions against Russia, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed Friday, following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s absence from peace talks on the war in Ukraine.
Speaking in Tirana, Albania, where EU leaders gathered for a high-level summit, von der Leyen said the bloc was working on a new package of punitive measures aimed at further isolating Moscow.
“We’re working on a new package of sanctions,” she said. “We want peace, and therefore, we have to increase the pressure on President Putin till he is ready for peace.”
The upcoming measures would supplement the sanctions already adopted earlier in the week and are expected to include restrictions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, new listings of Russian shadow fleet vessels used to bypass oil embargoes, tighter price caps on Russian oil exports, and additional curbs on Russia’s financial sector.
Von der Leyen’s remarks came just hours after Putin failed to travel to Turkey for anticipated negotiations with Ukrainian officials.
The no-show has been widely viewed by Western leaders as a sign that the Kremlin is not genuinely committed to peace.
READ ALSO: Putin’s absence stalls Turkey peace summit
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, also in Tirana for the meeting, emphasized the importance of unity among Ukraine’s allies. “It’s really important, therefore, that we have absolute unity with our allies,” he stated. “I think that what we saw yesterday and overnight is yet more evidence that Putin is not serious about peace. He’s been dragging his heels.”
The EU has imposed more than a dozen rounds of sanctions on Russia since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, targeting sectors ranging from energy and defense to luxury goods and banking.
With no ceasefire in sight and increasing civilian casualties, the pressure is mounting for a tougher international response.
NAN
