Europe Pledges Tighter Sanctions on Russia Following Trump-Putin Call

European leaders have pledged to escalate sanctions against Russia following a round of high-stakes diplomacy talks led by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to Reuters.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed the decision late Monday, stating that Europe and the United States remain closely aligned in their response to Russian aggression.

“Europe and America are united in their support for Ukraine,” Merz wrote on X. “We will intensify pressure on Moscow through additional sanctions. This was our shared position with President Trump following his call with President Putin.”

Trump held back-to-back phone conversations on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and leaders from the EU, France, Germany, Italy, and Finland. According to the White House, the discussions aimed to lay the groundwork for an immediate ceasefire.

Following the calls, Trump claimed that both Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to launch ceasefire negotiations. However, no concrete outcomes or firm commitments were reported from the Russian side, with Kremlin officials downplaying expectations.

Yuri Ushakov, a senior adviser to Putin, said that while no timeline for a truce had been set, Trump emphasized his desire to move quickly toward a resolution.

Despite signs of diplomatic momentum, skepticism remains high. Ukrainian and European leaders have repeatedly insisted on an unconditional ceasefire, while Moscow continues to make gradual gains on the battlefield. Russian officials have expressed concern that any pause in fighting could allow Ukraine to regroup and reinforce its positions.

As The Gaze reported earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately start negotiations” for a ceasefire and a potential end to the war, following a two-hour phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday.