EU and US officials meet as Trump says he is ready to impose further sanctions on Russia

"David O'Sullivan, the EU sanctions envoy, is meeting US counterparts on Monday, as Europe and the US look for tougher measures to weaken Vladimir Putin's war machine after Russia launched its largest-ever air attack on Ukraine over the weekend. Ahead of those meetings, the head of the European Council, Antonio Costa, hailed transatlantic cooperation over sanctions against Russia and said it was clear that the US remained engaged in supporting Ukraine."

"Asked by a reporter at the White House on Sunday if he was ready to move to the second phase of sanctions against Russia, Trump responded: Yeah I am, without elaborating. Trump also said that certain European leaders are coming over to our country on Monday or Tuesday individually and that he would speak to the Russian president soon. Trump has previously threatened tougher measures against Putin, but each time has allowed deadlines to pass without action."

"Speaking in Helsinki on Monday, Costa said that the EU and US were coordinating our efforts to align our sanctions, to be more effective and to increase pressure on Putin to join peace negotiations with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He said the EU needed to increase sanctions on Russia, but also secondary sanctions on countries buying gas and oil from Russia."

David O'Sullivan, the EU sanctions envoy, is meeting US counterparts in Washington to seek tougher measures to weaken Russia's war machine after Russia's largest-ever air attack on Ukraine. The EU and US are coordinating efforts to align sanctions and increase pressure on Vladimir Putin to enter peace talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Antonio Costa hailed transatlantic cooperation and said the US remained engaged in supporting Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen spoke by phone to US vice-president JD Vance; their only topic was Ukraine. Donald Trump said he was ready to move to a second phase of sanctions. Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the attacks and welcomed stronger sanctions coordination. Calls urged secondary sanctions on countries buying Russian gas and oil.

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