On Tuesday 20 May, EU foreign affairs ministers adopted new sanctions against Russia (see other news), while already considering the next ones.
In the wake of the discussion between US President, Donald Trump, and Russian President, Vladimir Putin, which failed to produce a ceasefire agreement, the EU High Representative has called for a further toughening of the tone against Moscow.
“Our absolute priority remains a complete and unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine agreed to this more than 60 days ago, but instead of seeking peace, Russia continues to play games and has stepped up its attacks. The only option is to increase the pressure on Russia to negotiate seriously”, stressed Ms Kallas after the Council meeting.
She said ministers had called for rapid progress on the next set of sanctions, the 18th, adding that many Member States had said that if Russia did not agree to an unconditional ceasefire, “the pressure would be increased”.
Earlier in the day, the German Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, said that “the EU (could) and (should) strengthen sanctions even further so that it becomes really clear that we will not be prepared to continue to tolerate Russia’s actions without consequences”.
According to Estonian Defence Minister, Hanno Pevkur, the 18th package could once again focus on the ‘shadow fleet’. While the EU has sanctioned 342 vessels, Ukraine is said to have a list of 500 vessels participating in the fleet. Combating the circumvention of sanctions would also be an area of work, as would the energy and banking sectors. “Let’s put the energy, LNG, oil, nuclear, also fuel. Let’s put financial institutions that we left untouched for so long and proceed further on”, advocated Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Kęstutis Budrys.
Like the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, who called for the price of oil to be capped at $30 a barrel, when it is currently at $60, Ms Kallas explained that capping the price of oil had an impact on the Russian economy.
Call for US action. For her part, the EU High Representative also hoped that the United States, which supported the European statement of 10 May, would step up its measures against Russia. “We have heard that the US has said that if Russia does not accept a complete and unconditional ceasefire, there will be consequences. So we want to see these consequences from the US side too. We really haven’t seen any pressure on Russia in these negotiations”, she stressed.
Eighty US senators are preparing measures against Russia at the instigation of Lindsay Graham. “If President Trump finally recognises that Vladimir Putin is playing cat-and-mouse and stalling rather than enforcing a real ceasefire, then Senator Lindsey Graham’s very tough package might be launched”, said Polish Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)