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The European Union and the United Kingdom announced sanctions on Russia without waiting for the United States to join them, even as President Donald Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin did not yield any ceasefire in Ukraine, news agency Reuters reported.
The sanctions, the EU and UK said, would target Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ of oil tankers and financial firms that have helped it avoid the impact of other sanctions so far over the war in Ukraine.
Russia uses the shipping fleet to export oil, “circumventing a $60 a barrel price cap imposed by the G7 group of industrialised countries to limit Russia's income”, as per Reuters.
The agency also quoted German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul as saying that the EU had repeatedly made it clear that Russia should agree to an immediate ceasefire without preconditions. Since Russia had not accepted a ceasefire, the EU will have to react, said Wadephul.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: “It’s time to intensify the pressure on Russia to bring about the ceasefire.”
“Let us push Vladimir Putin to put an end to his imperialist fantasy,” Reuters quoted France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
Britain’s Foreign Minister David Lammy said “delaying peace efforts will only redouble our resolve to help Ukraine to defend itself and use our sanctions to restrict Putin's war machine".
Russia responded to the sanctions, saying it will not bow to ultimatums.
On May 19, Putin said that Moscow was ready to work with Ukraine on a memorandum about a future peace accord. “Now, accordingly, the ball is in Kyiv’s court,” Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Zakharova said.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on May 20 that Pope Leo XIV had confirmed to her his willingness to host the next round of negotiations in the Vatican in order to end the war.