There will be no “ease” of sanctions until Russia stops the war, two senior EU officials say

The European Union will maintain the sanctions regime against Russia until Moscow ends its war of aggression against Ukraine.

This was confirmed on Friday by Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa in a conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky.

Their comments constituted a clear criticism of US President Donald Trump for easing sanctions on Russia in order to reach an agreement on the supply of diesel with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

This agreement has angered Ukraine and caused concern among European allies, Euronews writes, according to Telegraph.

"One thing is absolutely clear: we will not lift any sanctions as long as Russia does not stop the war," the European Commission president declared on Friday morning.

"This is not the time to ease sanctions on Russia. Now is the time to increase support and increase pressure," said Costa, the president of the European Council.

Zelensky thanked European leaders for their continued support, specifically describing them as "true leaders" who have stood by Ukraine since the beginning of the war.

"We see no signal from the Russian side that they are ready to end this war," the Ukrainian president said.

"That's why we need to prepare for winter. A winter package. It's not just about energy, but also about air defense and financing."

Meanwhile, Trump has again attacked Zelensky, calling his strategy to hit Russian oil refineries a "disgrace" and demanding new elections in the country.

"I have a harder time dealing with Zelensky than I do with Putin," Trump told Newsmax television.

This bitter clash is expected to be the focus of attention on the second day of the EU summit.