EU foreign ministers to toughen action against Russia
ROME: Foreign ministers from large European countries said on Thursday they were ready to step up pressure on Russia, "including through further sanctions" involving the energy and banking sector, to weaken Moscow in its war with Ukraine. The meeting in Rome was attended by officials from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and the European Union. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte and a Ukrainian representative also joined the talks.
"We reiterated our readiness to step up our pressure on Russia as it continues to refuse serious and credible commitments, including through further sanctions and countering their circumvention," the foreign ministers' statement said. The Rome gathering took place as Russia intensifies attacks against Ukraine, which Moscow says are retaliatory measures for recent strikes by Kyiv on its own soil.
Representatives from the two sides met in Istanbul earlier this month for peace talks which were inconclusive and failed to bring a ceasefire that Ukraine, its European allies and Washington have all urged Russia to accept. The Europeans said on Thursday they were "ready to swiftly adopt new measures aimed at undermining" Russia's war effort. — Reuters
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