EU ready to impose more sanctions on Russia after summit talks
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre give a joint press conference following their meeting at the prime minister's residence, in Oslo, Thursday, March 20, 2025. Picture: Ole Berg-Rusten/NTB Scanpix via AP
EU leaders – apart from Hungary’s Viktor Orbán – say they are ready to increase pressure on Russia through further sanctions, as summit talks exposed a geographical divide on rearming Europe.
Meeting in Brussels, the bloc agreed it was ready to levy further sanctions on Russia and strengthen existing measures after talks with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who joined by video link.
The show of unity was marred by Orbán refusing to support an EU text declaring support for Ukraine, which stated: “The European Council calls on Russia to show real political will to end the war.” The Hungarian prime minister similarly declined to support the EU position two weeks ago.
Orbán’s growing confidence in diverging from the EU on Ukraine raises questions about the bloc’s ability to impose new sanctions and renew existing ones, although diplomats take comfort from the fact Hungary has always acceded to the plans in the end.
Addressing EU leaders at the European Council via video link, Mr Zelenskyy said: “Please do not ease pressure on Russia over the war sanctions are very, very necessary. Sanctions must remain in place until Russia starts withdrawing from our land and fully compensates for damage caused by its aggression.
“I urge you to keep fighting against sanctions evasion schemes and Russia attempts to finance its war efforts.
“Ongoing diplomatic efforts do not mean that Russia should face less pressure. That’s crucial to reducing the chances of Russia hoax. We know how easily Moscow disregards its promises. One moment they give their word and a few hours later it means absolutely nothing.
“That’s why we must keep pushing Russia towards peace together with you, of course United States and other partners. We can do this.”
He said that there is also a need for pressure within Europe to ensure that promises made regarding EU accession talks are kept.
“It’s simply anti-European when one person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent or that have already been agreed upon,” Mr Zelenskyy said, in a veiled attack on Hungarian president Viktor Orban's efforts to stymie Ukraine's EU accession talks.
The Ukrainian president said that Europe must “always be at the table” during negotiations.
During his address, Mr Zelenskyy sought a further €5bn in military aid for Ukraine while also calling for an increase in both EU and Ukrainian weapons production capabilities.
Mr Zelenskyy said that “nothing has changed” with Russian president Vladimir Putin, despite talks between the US and Russia.
He said that Ukraine would support a ceasefire on energy and infrastructure, as well as a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.
“We continue to support these efforts. Our teams will also work towards achieving unconditional full ceasefire on land.
Mr Zelenskyy said that Mr Putin must stop “making unnecessary demands” as these only serve to prolong the war.
Meanwhile, Jens Stoltenberg, the former Nato secretary-general who last month re-entered the Norwegian government as finance minister, said that uncertainty over US commitment to the transatlantic alliance was not a reason to “give up Nato”, but a motivation for European countries and Canada to increase their contributions.
Stoltenberg said that whether or not the US decided to reduce its Nato contributions, it was crucial for other Nato members to “stand together” and “step up”.
“We need to all do what we can to ensure that Nato remains a strong alliance between North America and Europe that has helped to keep us safe for more than 75 years. There have been differences and disagreements before but we have been able to overcome them by realising we are all safer when we stand together,” he said speaking from Copenhagen shortly before Zelenskyy touched down in Norway on Thursday.
“If the US should decide to reduce their contributions to Nato, it is even more important that we stand together the rest of us in Nato and step up, as European allies now do. And not least the United Kingdom, being the second largest military power in Nato after the United States.”
He added: “I cannot rule out that the US will reduce their contributions to the Nato command structures, to the Nato forces, but I expect the United States to remain a Nato ally. The answer to that is not to give up Nato but to strengthen the European and Canadian contributions to Nato.”
Despite an EU agreement to “urgently step up efforts” to aid Ukraine’s defence, a €40bn EU military aid plan has fizzled out after it failed to win support from larger member states, including France, Spain and Italy.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, who led the initiative, is now calling on member states to provide 2 million shells worth €5bn, a downgrade on her original plan that envisaged every country contributing military aid based on the size of its economy.
Ms Kallas acknowledged the plan had not won universal support: “For every country it is the domestic politics, also the understanding of the public of what needs to be done and that is different in every member state.” EU talks on an €800bn plan to ensure Europe can deter any potential invaders by 2030, are exposing the geographical fault lines over rearming Europe.
Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, said the EU summit was about “finalising the first stage of perhaps the most important project in decades: making Europe safe, armed and united against the Russian threat”.
Lithuania’s president, Gitanas Nausėda, said Europe was facing a strategic choice that recalled the years before the second world war.
“We have to rearm ourselves because otherwise we will be the second, next victim of Russian aggression.”
Spain and Italy, which both spend below the 2% Nato target on defence, say Europe cannot overlook other threats to security. Spain is urging a wider definition of defence spending to encompass cybersecurity, anti-terrorism and efforts to combat the climate crisis.
Its prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said he did not like the term “rearm”, which the European Commission has used repeatedly in its drive to increase defence spending. It was important, he said, “to take into account that the challenges that we face in the southern neighbourhood are a bit different to the ones the eastern flank face”.
Earlier this month the commission outlined a €800bn plan that included a €150bn loans package and flexibility on EU fiscal rules that would allow countries to take on €650bn in additional debt. EU leaders have endorsed the big picture, but some countries are reluctant to deepen their debts and are seeking EU grants.
The Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said the EU needed “a more serious discussion” on “the provision of grants to European member states in order to make the important investments that they need to do”. The Netherlands and Germany oppose any common debt that would be used to create such grants.
Mr Stoltenberg said it was “valid” and “fair” of Trump to ask other Nato members to do more, adding: “The good news is that Europeans are doing more.”
Speaking at the conclusion of the European Council summit, Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said that improvements in EU defence is "no longer a nice to have", but a must.
European Council president Antonio Costa told reporters that defence and strength of the EU economy were both sides of the same coin and that the European Union needed to work on both "hand in hand".
Asked about the opposition taken by Hungary over the proposals, Mr Costas said that there is a need to accept differences within the EU. However, he said that it was much easier to agree a joint proposal of 26, with just one opposition voice.
