Paris Promises EU's 'Toughest Sanctions' Against Russia

The European Union is preparing to introduce the toughest sanctions against Russia since 2022, said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, TF1 reports.

"The EU, coordinating efforts with American senators, is preparing to introduce the toughest sanctions in the last three years based on French proposals," he said.

The latest package of measures is designed to "drain" Russia's resources and prevent it from conducting a military operation, Barro added. It will affect oil revenues , "financial players" from Russia and other countries.

In this way, the European Union intends to encourage Moscow to agree to a ceasefire.

"We have seen that since President [US Donald] Trump proposed a 30-day ceasefire <...>, Russia's strikes on Ukraine have increased fivefold," Barro said.

Since 2022, when Russia recognized the DPR and LPR, launched a military operation in Ukraine and accepted new regions into its fold, the EU has introduced almost two dozen packages of sanctions against it. There are 17 of them at the moment. The association planned to adopt the next, 18th package of sanctions at the summit at the end of June, but it was never approved due to Slovakia’s objections.

It is expected that the price ceiling will be reducedoil from $60 (effective from 2022) to $45 per barrel. In addition, a ban on transactions with the Russian Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines (after the explosions in 2022, only one line of the second survived) and banks that circumvent the restrictions may be introduced.

The US position on new restrictions against Russia remains unclear . The country's Senate has developed a project that proposes imposing duties on goods coming to the US from countries that buy products from Russia and do not help Ukraine, in the amount of 500%. The country's President Donald Trump has not clearly stated his opinion on the new sanctions.

Russia condemns the introduction of restrictions, it considers them illegal. It is impossible to talk to Moscow "in the language of ultimatums", the Kremlin emphasized.

Ukraine insists on a "complete and unconditional ceasefire in the air, on land and at sea." Russian President Vladimir Putin supported the idea of ​​a ceasefire, but said there were "nuances." Moscow needs guarantees that Kiev will not use this time to strengthen the army, the HEAD of the Foreign Ministry explainedSergey Lavrov .

Russia is in favor of stopping the fighting, but it is necessary to develop the most effective paths towards peace, Putin said.

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