EU to finalize sanctions package against Russia, says policy chief

Brussels [Belgium], October 20 (ANI): European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that "Russia only negotiates when put under pressure" and that the EU is working towards adopting its 19th package of sanctions later this week.
European Union foreign ministers gathered in Luxembourg to discuss a new round of sanctions against Russia, the situation in Gaza, and growing global supply-chain risks amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council, Kallas said, "We see President Trump's efforts to bring peace to Ukraine. Of course, all these efforts are welcome, but we don't see Russia really wanting peace. Russia only understands strength and only negotiates when it's really put to negotiate. So right now we don't see it yet."
"We are expecting this week also to adopt the 19th package of sanctions. Unfortunately, not today, but we also have a leaders' meeting coming up on Thursday," Kallas said.
She said EU ministers are also working to tighten enforcement against Russia's "shadow fleet," a network of vessels allegedly helping Moscow bypass Western oil-export restrictions.
"We are discussing with the member states how to coordinate our actions regarding the shadow fleet better. We need to be more creative because they are also creative in bypassing these measures," she said.
Asked about US President Donald Trump's meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Budapest, the European Union foreign policy chief said, "Well, my wish would have been that it's President Zelensky who meets Putin, because it's actually them who have to agree on this."
"If America has a lot of strength to pressure Russia to come to the negotiation table, if they use that, then, of course, this is good if Russia stops this war," she said.
"I think, what we need to see, how these things are going in Budapest, as we have been very firm that Russia only negotiates when they are put under pressure. So, we hope that also President Trump does that," she said.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes.
"Regarding Budapest, no, it's not nice. I mean, to see that really a person put to the arrest ward by the ICC is coming to a European country. And again, you know, the question is whether there's any outcome out of this," Kallas said.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS in an interview that the EU has moved to "active subversive efforts" ahead of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump, seeking to disrupt any peace efforts in Ukraine.
"We understand what they want to do. I mean the Western European community fueled by former American ultra-liberal attitudes. Of course, they want to disrupt any peaceful aspirations, from talks about peace negotiations to actual actions," Zakharova noted.
In an exclusive interview with NBC News, Zelenskyy recently said Trump needed to exert even greater pressure on Putin than he had during his recent success in securing a ceasefire with Hamas.
"Putin is something similar but stronger than Hamas," Zelenskyy said, adding, "and that's why more pressure" is needed, noting the war's larger scale and Russia's position as the world's second-largest army.
Zelenskyy had hoped that this pressure would include the delivery of long-range US Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep into Russia. While Trump had raised the possibility of providing Tomahawks to Ukraine, he appeared to temper expectations following his meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House, which came a day after a phone call with Putin.
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kallas said that ahead of the Indo-Pacific ministerial meting in November the year, the EU is reaching out to its Indo-Pacific partners, "especially considering how China has now weaponized the supply chains."
Kallas said ministers would assess next steps following the ceasefire agreement reached earlier this month between Israel and Hamas.
"The ceasefire is the first stress test ... It's a good first phase, but of course we need to work on what more can be done to achieve a sustainable peace," she said, adding that the EU must help ensure humanitarian aid reaches civilians in Gaza. (ANI)