Brussels, September 17 (HS): European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump held talks Tuesday to intensify coordinated efforts aimed at increasing economic sanctions on Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

Von der Leyen announced that the EU is poised to unveil its 19th sanctions package against Russia since the 2022 invasion, which will target key sectors including cryptocurrency, banking, and energy. The EU also plans to accelerate its phase-out of Russian fossil fuel imports, aiming to cut Moscow’s revenue streams that fuel its war economy.

Trump has urged allied nations to cease purchasing Russian oil as a precondition before advancing further punitive measures against Moscow and has advocated for imposing tariffs on China. The EU has already banned most Russian oil imports and intends to end all Russian oil and gas reliance by 2027, with Brussels now seeking to expedite this timeline to stifle Russia’s war financing.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar