EU joins US in heaping more sanctions on Russia to push Putin into Ukraine peace talks

The European Union on Thursday imposed new economic sanctions on Russia, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s additional measures targeting the Russian oil sector a day earlier. Russian officials and state media downplayed the impact, calling the Western actions ineffective. The latest sanctions aim to cut off the revenue and resources sustaining Moscow’s war in Ukraine and push President Vladimir Putin toward negotiations. The move marks a diplomatic win for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has long urged stronger international punishment for Russia’s invasion. France24 International Affairs commentator Douglas Herbert gives his insights.