A group of European officials will meet with their American counterparts in Washington on September 8 to consider various forms of economic pressure that can be applied to Russia, including new sanctions. This occurs amid US President Donald Trump’s increasing frustration with his inability to resolve the war in Ukraine. European Council President Antonio Costa confirmed that a European team traveled to Washington to collaborate with American partners on new sanctions.
Meanwhile, Trump accused Europeans of buying Russian oil, thereby aiding the Russian war effort. However, EC President Ursula von der Leyen stated that only Hungary and Slovakia purchase Russian oil within the EU, and the bloc aims to phase out Russian oil by 2028. In response to the US complaint, European Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen mentioned he had not felt pressure from Washington to stop buying Russian oil earlier and plans to discuss this week in Brussels with US Energy Secretary Chris Wirth the EU’s commitment to purchasing $250B in US energy resources annually.
Additionally, US special envoy Steve Witkoff noted that EU imports Russian oil through India and that diesel exports surged by 137% in August, up 242,000 barrels per day compared to July. The rise is driven by the upcoming EU ban on fuel derived from Russian crude oil, effective January 2026. Year-over-year, exports increased by 73% and exceeded the 12-month average by 124%.