Europe's United Front Against Russia: A Closer Look

Europe is stepping up its game against Russia. Leaders from various countries gathered in London to talk about how to put more pressure on Russia. They want more countries to join in and punish Russian oil companies. The U. S. has already taken a big step by sanctioning two major Russian oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. Europe is following suit, adding more sanctions and promising to support Ukraine for the next two years. Things are getting tough for Europe. Russian planes keep flying into European airspace, and Ukraine is getting hit hard. Despite calls from world leaders to talk things out, Russia's President Putin is not backing down. He still wants a lot from Ukraine to end the war and won't agree to a ceasefire. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer made it clear that what happens in Ukraine matters to many other countries, including the UK. He said that the sanctions from the U. S. , UK, and EU are hitting Russia hard and showing that everyone is working together to support Ukraine. Starmer wants more countries to join in and stop buying Russian oil. Ukraine's President Zelensky thanked the U. S. and other countries for their support. He said that diplomacy only works if it leads to real actions, like sanctions and holding Russia accountable for war crimes. Zelensky has been asking for long-range missiles to strike back at Russia. He believes that hitting Russia where it hurts will make Putin think twice about his attacks. NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte thinks now is the time to put more pressure on Russia. He said Putin is running out of money, troops, and ideas. Rutte believes that increasing the pressure will help bring a fair and just peace to Ukraine. He also praised the U. S. for its new sanctions, saying they show a strong commitment to ending the war. Diplomatic talks have been a bit shaky. Trump called off a meeting with Putin because he didn't think Russia was serious about making peace. Instead, Russia's economic envoy is visiting the U. S. to talk about the relationship between the two countries. Meanwhile, leaders from the Netherlands and Denmark said that economic pressure is the only way to make Putin talk seriously.