EU's von der Leyen, Trump discuss new steps to increase economic pressure on Russia

AL-Monitor
Sep 16, 2025
FILE PHOTO: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump, after the announcement of a trade deal between the U.S. and EU, in Turnberry, Scotland, Britain, July 27, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/ File Photo
FILE PHOTO: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump, after the announcement of a trade deal between the U.S. and EU, in Turnberry, Scotland, Britain, July 27, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/ File Photo — Evelyn Hockstein

(Reuters) -European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said on Tuesday that she had a call with U.S. President Donald Trump on strengthening joint efforts to increase economic pressure on Russia through additional measures.

Von der Leyen said in an X post that the commission will propose speeding up the phase-out of Russian fossil imports.

"Russia's war economy, sustained by revenues from fossil fuels, is financing the bloodshed in Ukraine," she added.

(Reporting by Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie Adler)