European leaders are set to visit the United States on Monday or Tuesday to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine, US President Donald Trump said.
The visits come after Russia launched its largest aerial attack on Ukraine so far, killing four people and hitting the main government building in Kyiv for the first time.
Trump Plans Talks with Putin
Trump said he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon. He also signaled that his administration is ready to impose a second phase of sanctions on Moscow.
Zelensky Supports Sanctions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the sanctions. He urged European countries to stop buying Russian oil and gas.
“This is not fair. We must stop buying any energy or making deals with Russia,” Zelensky said.
He also supported Trump’s plan to impose secondary tariffs on countries that continue trading with Russia.
Russia’s Energy Sales Continue
Since the start of the war in March 2022, Russia has earned nearly $985 billion from oil and gas sales. China and India are the largest buyers.
The EU has reduced imports but has not completely stopped buying Russian energy. It plans to end all purchases by 2027.
US and EU Pressure
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that if the EU joins in imposing secondary tariffs, the Russian economy could collapse.
“We are in a race between how long the Ukrainian military can hold and how long the Russian economy can hold,” Bessent said.
Next Steps
The upcoming meetings between European leaders and the US are expected to focus on sanctions, energy strategies, and diplomatic solutions to pressure Russia and help end the war.
