US and EU discuss fresh sanctions on Russia
Photo: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (Getty Images)
European officials held a meeting at the US Treasury Department and discussed new forms of economic pressure on Russia. They discussed the introduction of additional sanctions and tariffs on Russian oil purchases, according to the Associated Press and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
According to the agency's interlocutor, at yesterday's meeting, the American side emphasized that President Donald Trump is ready to take decisive steps to end the war, but expects full support from European partners in any further actions.
The negotiations lasted less than two hours. Among the main topics discussed were tariff policy, the need for coordinated action on sanctions, and the future fate of Russian sovereign assets frozen mainly in Europe.
The meeting was attended by US Treasury Secretary Scott Besent, representatives of the White House, the State Department, and the US Trade Representative.
The European delegation consisted of experts in the fields of energy, sanctions policy, financial services, and trade. The consultations are expected to continue on Tuesday.
At the same time, Scott Bessent stressed that Washington and the EU are united in their desire to end the war in Ukraine, and all options remain on the table.
"We are willing to take strong measures against Russia, but our European partners must fully join us in this to be successful. I made this clear today when meeting with EU Commission Sanctions Envoy David O’Sullivan," he said.
Pressure on Russia
The talks in Washington took place amid efforts by US President Donald Trump to persuade Russia's Vladimir Putin to agree to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for direct talks on ending the war.
Last month, Trump held a summit with Putin in Alaska, and on Sunday, he said he was planning another conversation with him in the coming days. At the same time, the US President acknowledged that resolving the conflict had proved more difficult than expected.
A team of European officials will meet with their US counterparts to discuss further sanctions pressure on Russia.
Before this, European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jorgensen stressed that the European Union should completely abandon the purchase of Russian energy resources and not resume supplies even after the end of the war.
According to him, Washington holds a similar position and also advocates a complete cessation of Russian oil and gas imports.
In addition, work is continuing in Brussels on the 19th package of sanctions against Russia.
