The EU provides for new sanctions against Russia in the push for the ceasefire of Ukraine

The European Union approved on Tuesday a new package of sanctions against Russia, targeting secret oil exports, a few days after the senior EU announced plans for an additional set of even stricter restrictions.

The goal is to intensify the economic pain of Russia – and, in doing so, to provoke President Vladimir V. Putin towards peace talks to end the war in Ukraine. The push occurs as questions go up on how the United States will approach future sanctions.

After a call between President Trump and Mr. Putin on Monday, the White House supported his request that Russia declares an immediate cease-fire. President Volodymyr Zelensky, from Ukraine, said at a press conference that it was not clear if the United States would join Europe to intensify sanctions.

EU nations have imposed in -depth sanctions on Russia since its large -scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Those they approved on Tuesday are the 17th set. These are aimed at the so-called fleet of the shadow of Russia-old tanker ships that Moscow uses to transport and secretly sell its oil to the world.

Officials are already discussing an 18th package. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU, said last week that the officials could go after gas pipelines, strike banks and push to increase the world’s energy sales of Russia.

“It takes two to want peace, and it takes only one to want war,” Kaja Kallas, the best diplomat in the European Union on Tuesday. “In order to give Russia peace, we must also exert more pressure on Russia.”