EU unlikely to meet demand from US senators on Russia sanctions
The EU is unlikely to finalize its next round of Russia sanctions before the G7 summit in Canada later this month, despite calls from US lawmakers for coordinated action, the EUobserver media outlet reported on Tuesday.
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has said he aims to push new sanctions through by mid-June. In a joint statement with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, the two urged the EU and US to curb China and India's purchases of discounted Russian oil. Graham and Blumenthal visited Kiev together on Friday.
Four EU diplomats earlier told EUobserver that the call to have 'sanctions put in place – in coordination with Europe' by the G7 summit in Alberta on June 15-17 is unlikely to be met.
Both senators visited France over the weekend to urge their EU allies to take stronger action. Graham also met EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said the bloc is preparing its 18th package of 'hard-biting sanctions' against Moscow.
Western countries have imposed widespread sanctions on Russia since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 in a bid to isolate the country. The restrictions include a ban on Russia's seaborne oil shipments, cutting the country off from the Western financial system, and freezing around $300 billion in foreign reserves. The bloc introduced its 17th round of sanctions in May.
Graham, a longtime Russia hawk and ally of US President Donald Trump, is backing legislation that would impose a 500% tariff on countries that buy Russian energy, uranium, and other raw materials – measures aimed chiefly at India and China. He said the move has support from 82 of the 100 US senators.
Trump has said the EU push for restrictions could make the chances of settling the Ukraine conflict 'much worse,' but noted that 'there could be a time where that's going to happen.' He has also criticized Russia for recent strikes on Ukraine.
Moscow has stressed that it is carrying out strikes on Ukrainian military-linked installations in response to Kiev's increased drone attacks on Russian civilian facilities. Moscow has also said Trump is being misled about the Ukraine conflict by those pushing Washington toward supporting Kiev and taking a more aggressive stance on Russia.
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