Von der Leyen urges G7 to ramp up pressure on Russia

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has called on the G7 countries to increase sanctions pressure on Russia in order to achieve a real ceasefire in Ukraine. She made this statement on the eve of the G7 leaders' talks.

Reuters reported it.

Ursula von der Leyen believes that only sanctions will force Russia to return to talks

Von der Leyen emphasized that sanctions remain a key tool that can force Russia to return to the negotiating table. According to her, the European Union has already proposed the 18th package of sanctions and expects support from international partners.

"We must put more pressure on Russia to secure a real ceasefire, to bring Russia to the negotiating table and to end this war, sanctions are critical to that end. Last week, we put forward a proposal for an 18 sanctions package. I will invite all G7 partners to join us in this endeavour," Ursula von der Leyen said. 

However, the position of the United States remains unclear. President Donald Trump, who is currently focused on the threats of conflict between Israel and Iran, is reluctant to support new restrictions against the Kremlin, fearing that it could hinder the achievement of a ceasefire.

Von der Leyen emphasized that despite the world's shifting focus to events in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine cannot be pushed into the background. According to her, the threat from Iran, including the proliferation of drones and missiles that strike both Ukrainian and Israeli cities, is further evidence of the interdependence of modern conflicts.

During the personal conversation with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, von der Leyen confirmed Israel's right to defend itself, but emphasized the importance of a diplomatic solution to the issue of Iran's nuclear program.

"Iran is the principal source of regional instability, and we've always been very clear, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. The recent events have underlined the increasing interlinks between the conflicts in Europe on one hand and the Middle East on the other hand. The same type of Iranian designed and made drones and ballistic missiles are indiscriminately hitting cities in Ukraine and in Israel," the official summarized. 

As a reminder, a few days ago, President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to partners to strengthen sanctions against Russia.

A week ago, on June 10, Ursula von der Leyen presented the 18th package of sanctions and announced what restrictions it would include.