EU ready to impose more sanctions on Russia after summit talks

BRUSSELS, Belgium: EU leaders – apart from Hungary’s Viktor Orban say on Thursday they are ready to increase pressure on Russia through further sanctions, as summit talks exposed a geographical divide on rearming Europe.

Meeting in Brussels, the bloc agreed it was ready to levy further sanctions on Russia and strengthen existing measures after talks with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, who joined by video link.

The show of unity was marred by Orban refusing to support an EU text declaring support for Ukraine, which stated: “The European Council calls on Russia to show real political will to end the war.” The Hungarian prime minister similarly declined to support the EU position two weeks ago.

Orban’s growing confidence in diverging from the EU on Ukraine raises questions about the bloc’s ability to impose new sanctions and renew existing ones, although diplomats take comfort from the fact Hungary has always acceded to the plans in the end.

Zelensky told the EU leaders: “Please do not ease pressure on Russia over the war. Sanctions must remain in place until Russia starts withdrawing from our land and fully compensates for the damage caused by its aggression.”

In a clear reference to Hungary’s efforts to stymie Ukraine’s EU accession talks, Zelensky added, without naming any country: “It is simply anti-European when one person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent or that have already been agreed upon.”

Meanwhile, Jens Stoltenberg, the former Nato secretary-general who last month re-entered the Norwegian government as finance minister, said that uncertainty over US commitment to the transatlantic alliance was not a reason to “give up Nato”, but a motivation for European countries and Canada to increase their contributions.

Stoltenberg said that whether or not the US decided to reduce its Nato contributions, it was crucial for other Nato members to “stand together” and “step up”.“We need to all do what we can to ensure that Nato remains a strong alliance between North America and Europe that has helped to keep us safe for more than 75 years. There have been differences and disagreements before but we have been able to overcome them by realising we are all safer when we stand together,” he said speaking from Copenhagen shortly before Zelensky touched down in Norway on Thursday.