EU pledges support for Ukraine, agrees new sanction on Russia

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Europe must support Ukraine more than ever.

Kallas stated this on Monday ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, as the bloc agreed to impose more sanctions against Russia ahead of a flurry of meetings in Brussels, Kyiv, and Washington this week.

European officials have been left flat-footed by the decision of U.S. President Donald Trump to hold talks with Russia, spurning both Kyiv and Europe.

“We have to support Ukraine right now, more than ever,” Kallas said.

The 16th package of sanctions against Russia, which the ministers agreed on Monday, includes a ban on primary aluminum imports and sales of gaming consoles, as well as the listing of owners and operators of 74 so-called shadow fleet vessels used to evade sanctions.

Meanwhile, several EU leaders and ministers will be in Kyiv on Monday to mark their support for Ukraine on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, while the leaders of France and Britain are traveling to the United States to meet Trump.

According to the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, Ukraine will receive a new payment of 3.5 billion euros ($3.68 billion) from the European Union in March.

Von der Leyen said Ukraine would also benefit from EU plans to scale up European arms production and defense capabilities.

Speaking in Brussels, Kallas also said she would travel to the United States on Tuesday to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss EU-U.S. relations and talks between the U.S. and Russia on ending the war in Ukraine.