EU urges new sanctions on Russia as focus shifts to Iran-Israel conflict

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on G7 nations to intensify sanctions against Russia, warning that mounting instability in the Middle East risks diverting global focus from the war in Ukraine.

Speaking ahead of the G7 summit on June 16, in the Canadian Rockies, von der Leyen emphasised that only increased pressure can bring Moscow to the negotiating table and secure a ceasefire in Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“We must put more pressure on Russia to secure a real ceasefire, to bring Russia to the negotiating table and to end this war; sanctions are critical to that end,” she told a news conference.

“Last week, we put forward a proposal for an 18 sanctions package. I will invite all G7 partners to join us in this endeavour.”

The summit, attended by leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, comes at a time when diplomacy on Ukraine has stalled and Washington appears hesitant to impose further measures on Moscow.

President Donald Trump, who has resisted openly criticising Vladimir Putin, has expressed concern that new sanctions could hinder attempts to broker a ceasefire.

Efforts by EU leaders to keep Ukraine high on the G7 agenda come amid a surge in Middle East tensions, where Israeli strikes on Iran have prompted fears of a broader regional conflict. A resulting spike in oil prices has added pressure to an already fragile global economy.

Von der Leyen said she had discussed energy market stability with Trump during talks on June 14. “We will also stay very vigilant (on) what the implications for the international energy markets are concerned,” she said.

On transatlantic trade, the Commission president reiterated her preference for a negotiated solution ahead of a looming 9 July deadline, though contingency plans were being prepared in case talks fail.

Earlier on June 15, von der Leyen also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reaffirming the EU’s stance on both Israel’s security and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

She said: “Iran is the principal source of regional instability, and we've always been very clear, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”

Addressing the interconnected nature of the world’s crises, she added: “The recent events have underlined the increasing interlinks between the conflicts in Europe on one hand and the Middle East on the other hand.

The same type of Iranian-designed and made drones and ballistic missiles are indiscriminately hitting cities in Ukraine and in Israel.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev