German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reiterated that if no real progress is made this week in achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine, the EU will impose new sanctions on Russia, Agence France-Presse reported, quoted by BTA.
If Moscow does not approve the proposal of Kiev's allies for a 30-day ceasefire, the new sanctions prepared by the European Union will affect the Russian energy sector and the financial market in particular, Merz said.
“We await the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin and agree that if there is no real progress this week, we will work together at the European level to significantly tighten the sanctions“, Merz said at a joint press conference in Berlin with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The European Union must be at the center of any peace agreement for Ukraine, the Greek Prime Minister said.
"The EU must be united," Mitsotakis said after meeting with the new German Chancellor.