EU Holds Back Sanctions Push, Awaiting Possible Zelenskyy–Putin Meeting in Turkey
European leaders are pausing their call for new U.S. sanctions on Russia, opting instead to await the outcome of a potential meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled for later this week in Turkey.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Bloomberg.
The decision follows consultations between senior U.S. and EU officials on Monday, during which the American side reportedly indicated a preference to allow space for diplomatic engagement before escalating economic pressure on Moscow. The proposed meeting, expected to take place on Thursday, remains uncertain, with the Kremlin yet to confirm Putin’s attendance.
Should Russia refuse the talks or fail to implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, European leaders are prepared to urge President Donald Trump to follow through on his recent warning of intensified sanctions. “The U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions if the ceasefire isn’t respected,” Trump wrote in a May 8 social media post.
According to Bloomberg, last weekend, leaders from the UK, France, and Germany believed they had secured Trump’s backing for a coordinated 30-day ceasefire plan, to be followed by joint U.S.-EU sanctions if Russia failed to comply. But Trump declined to endorse the timeline publicly, instead urging Zelenskyy to pursue direct negotiations with Putin in Turkey – a move that caught several European officials off guard but was ultimately accepted by the Ukrainian president.
Meanwhile, momentum is building in the U.S. Congress for a more aggressive posture. Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, has introduced bipartisan legislation that would impose sweeping sanctions, including a 500% tariff on imports from countries that continue purchasing Russian oil, gas, or uranium.
The coming days could prove decisive for the West’s response to Russia’s ongoing invasion. For now, diplomatic hopes hinge on a meeting that may or may not take place, and on a ceasefire that remains elusive.
As The Gaze reported earlier, the European Union continues to insist that any peace talks should begin only after an unconditional ceasefire by Russia.