European leaders have pledged to intensify pressure on Russia through new sanctions, following a briefing from former U.S. President Donald Trump on his recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was among the first to warmly confirm the deal. He ended by underscoring that European countries are united in their response to Russia’s unprovoked aggression.
The announcement heads-off any sense of hypocrisy as the European Union gets ready to adopt its own, potentially vigorous, package of sanctions against Russia. That decision will likely be made in Brussels this coming Tuesday, May 20th. Specifically, Trump announced that he will not impose any new sanctions from the United States. At the same time, European leaders are working furiously behind the scenes to strengthen their own sanctions on Russia.
Europe in particular would be isolated as the party bringing the pressure to bear on Moscow by imposing sanctions. This is what we promised in return to [Trump] after his call with Putin,” claimed Friedrich Merz.
As recently as last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said U.S. sanctions could play a key role in shaping Russia’s military moves in Ukraine. He voiced the need for Europe and the United States alike to closely coordinate efforts with one another to better increase the pressure of sanctions against Moscow.
The European package will still be behind, but it’ll be robust. As for the United States package, well that’s another tale. We can all do more and stronger together,” Zelenskyy told a joint session of Congress. At the right moment, they will need to set – and uphold – necessary consequences.
In addition to sanctions discussions, Zelenskyy firmly rejected any demands from Russia to withdraw Ukrainian troops from territories claimed by Moscow. He stated, “No one will withdraw our troops from our territories,” reaffirming Ukraine’s commitment to its sovereignty.
At the same time, Trump indicated he could advance ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, a major right-wing goal. Though we can’t say for certain, he does not seem to have locked down any big geopolitical concessions from the meetings he held with Putin. “I think there’s a chance of getting something done, and if you do that, you could make it much worse,” Trump noted.
That is why the continuing war gives great urgency to the efforts of organizations such as Amnesty International to broaden their investigations into Russia’s actions. Despite Russia declaring the organization an “undesirable” group, Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, stated that this move is part of a broader effort by the Russian government “to silence dissent and isolate civil society.”
Zelenskyy remains hopeful that the U.S. will take decisive action against Russia in the form of sanctions, as European leaders look toward a united front against ongoing aggression.