EU Seeks to Coordinate Joint Sanctions with US Against Russia

According to webangah News Agency’s English service,⁢ citing Mehr News⁣ Agency and Politico, Antonio Costa said after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Uzhhorod, western Ukraine, “We are cooperating with the United States and other like-minded partners to increase pressure on Russia through direct and secondary sanctions.”

Costa added that a European ⁢team will travel to Washington to⁢ collaborate​ with ⁣their American counterparts.

He did ⁢not disclose details about the delegation members; however, an EU‌ Commission spokesperson ⁤told Politico that it will be led by david O’Sullivan,⁣ the EU’s special envoy for sanctions.

Earlier, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated that the EU’s nineteenth sanctions package against Russia is designed to “bring Putin to ​the negotiating table” and ⁢is expected ​to be unveiled in early September.

Politico noted that⁢ Ukraine and its allies have long called on the United States to impose‌ tougher restrictions on Moscow aimed at cutting off funding for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war efforts.

Last month,US President donald Trump set a two-week ultimatum for the Kremlin to end its attack on Ukraine.He claimed failure would lead to “wide-ranging sanctions or heavy‍ tariffs or‍ both,” but no such actions have been taken yet.

Trump previously imposed 50 percent punitive tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil. however, the White House has not approved Senator Lindsey Graham’s proposal for secondary tariffs ⁤as high as 500 percent against Moscow’s trading partners.