The European Union is now preparing its 19th sanctions package against Russia, aiming to have it ready by next month. The announcement came Thursday during a press briefing in Brussels.
European Commission spokesperson Arianna Podesta confirmed that the next wave of penalties is in motion. She didn’t offer specifics on what new measures would be included, but the message was clear: the EU has no intention of slowing down pressure on Vladimir Putin.
The last sanctions package, number eighteen, was passed in July. That one hit Russia with new trade restrictions and targeted sectors that feed into the country’s war economy.
Now, with the war in Ukraine still dragging on and no peace in sight, the EU is moving toward another escalation, without waiting to see how this latest round of diplomatic back-and-forth plays out.
Trump to meet Putin in Alaska without Zelenskyy
While Brussels drafts its next move, President Donald Trump is setting up for his own meeting with Putin, scheduled to take place this week in Anchorage, Alaska. It’s the first time the two men have met face-to-face in six years. Trump, who’s known for boasting about his so-called personal connection with Putin, has lately been trying to better understand what’s changed about the Russian leader.
This sudden curiosity comes as both Ukrainian and European officials grow increasingly concerned that Trump is playing into the Kremlin’s hands. One key complaint? The meeting will happen without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy present—on American soil, no less. Some European diplomats worry that agreeing to this setup basically gifts Putin a global win.
A European official told CNN that Russia has offered to end the war only if Ukraine agrees to give up everything Moscow has demanded from the beginning. “That would not be a deal,” the official said. “It would be a submission.”
Despite all that, there are still officials in Europe who believe Trump might be able to pull something off. They’ve seen him adjusting his stance on Russia over the past few months and think he could push Putin toward a deal.
On Wednesday, Trump warned that there would be “very severe consequences” if Putin doesn’t take the meeting seriously and refuses to pursue a real ceasefire. He didn’t spell out what those consequences would be, but in the past, he’s threatened tariffs and economic punishment.
Leaders push for ceasefire before second meeting
Before the Alaska meeting, Trump held a one-hour call with major European leaders, including Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Also present were Zelenskyy, Vice President JD Vance, and representatives from Germany, Poland, Italy, and France. The goal was to coordinate messaging ahead of the Putin meeting.
Trump told reporters at the Kennedy Center that he plans to hold a follow-up meeting with Zelenskyy, calling it a “quick second meeting” that could be “more productive than the first.” Keir, meanwhile, is scheduled to host Zelenskyy in London on Thursday, one day before the Alaska summit.
During a press event in Bregançon, Macron made it clear that no territorial swaps are being considered. “There are no serious territorial exchange plans on the table today,” he said, adding that any decisions about concessions must come from Ukraine. Macron also backed Trump’s demand for a ceasefire during the Alaska meeting. “We must continue to support Ukraine,” he said, “and when I say we, I mean Europeans and Americans.”
After the call, Ursula posted online that the leaders had a “very good call” and agreed on key points regarding Ukraine. Trump echoed that, saying he’d “rate it a 10” and had promised to share all the details with both Zelenskyy and the European leaders.
But Trump also left the door open to walking away from future talks. “Now there may be no second meeting,” he said, “because if I feel that it’s not appropriate to have it, because I didn’t get the answers that we have to have, then we’re not going to have a second meeting.”
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