Putin rages as EU leaders refuse to lift sanctions

European leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine on Thursday during a meeting in Paris, declaring that the economic sanctions imposed on Vladimir Putin’s Russia would remain in place.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who co-chairs the initiative alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said that at least 24 countries participating in the "Coalition of the willing" had agreed to uphold sanctions against Moscow until "peace is clearly established."

This latest meeting comes as U.S. President Donald Trump considers easing sanctions on Russia in an effort to secure a partial ceasefire.

"Since that Ukrainian announcement, there has been no Russian response. There have just been new conditions posed [by Moscow] for a much more limited and hypothetical ceasefire," Macron said.

Following the summit, Starmer spoke from the British Embassy, emphasizing the coalition’s stance: "It means increasing the economic pressure on Russia, accelerating new tougher sanctions bearing down on Russia’s energy revenues, and working together to make this pressure count."

(QG - Source: The Guardian - Picture : © Unsplash)