President von der Leyen attended the European Political Community Summit, emphasizing the need for stability in Europe amidst ongoing tensions with Russia. The summit marks three years since the founding of the European Political Community, established in response to Russia’s aggressive actions.
During recent events, President Putin called for a ceasefire during 9 May celebrations but failed to adhere to it. In contrast, Ukraine, supported by the EU and the US, proposed a 30-day unconditional ceasefire which was rejected by President Putin. A proposed meeting between Ukraine and Russia in Türkiye did not occur as President Putin did not attend, despite President Zelenskyy’s readiness to meet.
In light of these developments, von der Leyen stated that increased pressure on Russia is necessary. “And this is why we are working on a new package of sanctions,” she said. The proposed sanctions target Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, list more vessels from the Russian shadow fleet, lower the oil price cap, and impose additional sanctions on Russia’s financial sector.
Von der Leyen stressed that peace remains a priority: “Therefore, we have to increase the pressure on President Putin until Putin is ready for peace.”
