Europe needs to step "out of its comfort zone" and consider much tougher sanctions on Russia, such as bans on gas or uranium, or tapping into frozen Russian state assets, Thorsten Frei, the chief of staff of Germany's new chancellor,

The European Union is considering cutting more than 20 banks from SWIFT, the international payments system, as well as lowering a price cap on Russian oil and banning the Nord Stream gas pipelines as part of a new sanctions package that aims to increase pressure on Moscow to end its war against Ukraine.

The European Union has now targeted Moscow’s fleet of covert oil tankers and plans more restrictions, as the Trump administration’s approach to the war shifts.

The European Union adopted on Tuesday its 17th package of sanctions against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Senate Republicans are warning Russia that they’re prepared to pass punishing sanctions if President Vladimir Putin refuses to engage in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine or breaches an eventual agreement.

Ukrainian President Zelensky has called for stronger international sanctions on Russia to force a ceasefire, following intense Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv amid ongoing Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian targets.

The European Union and U.K. have imposed fresh sanctions on Russia, notably targeting almost scores of ships from the shadow fleet illicitly transporting oil to skirt Western restrictions imposed over the war on Ukraine.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Kyiv’s European allies slapped new sanctions Tuesday on Moscow, a day after a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to produce a breakthrough on ending the 3-year-old war in Ukraine.