While a 17th sanctions package against Russia still has to be agreed upon, the EU is already preparing another sanctions package EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said in Brussels, on Tuesday (May 20).

''So we will agree on the 17th package of sanctions today, but we continue working on the next strong package of sanctions to put more pressure on Russia,'' Kallas said

Russia and Ukraine are set to start negotiations after Putin spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (May 19), but Putin said the process would take time.

After Trump briefed them on his call, European leaders agreed to increase pressure on Russia through fresh sanctions.

Trump did not appear ready to follow that move. Asked why he had not imposed fresh sanctions to push Moscow into a peace deal as he had threatened, Trump told reporters: "Well because I think there's a chance of getting something done, and if you do that, you can also make it much worse. But there could be a time where that's going to happen."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (MAY 20, 2025) (EUROPEAN UNION - Access all)

1. EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF KAJA KALLAS ARRIVING FOR MEETING WITH EU FOREIGN AND DEFENCE MINISTERS

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, KAJA KALLAS, SAYING:

"I think it is important, as we have all said, the 27 of us, that there has to be a full and unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine has already agreed to this 60 days or more than 60 days ago. And we have agreed that if Russia does not agree with what we saw yesterday, then we will put more pressure. So we will agree on the 17th package of sanctions today, but we continue working on the next strong package of sanctions to put more pressure on Russia so that they would also want peace."

3. WHITE FRAME

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, KAJA KALLAS, SAYING:

"It takes two to want peace. It only takes one to want war. And Russia clearly wants war, whereas Ukraine wants peace. So in order to make Russia want peace, we also need to put more pressure on Russia."

5. EUROPEAN COUNCIL BUILDING

6. EU FLAG