European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union would not lift any sanctions against Russia until Moscow ends its war against Ukraine, accusing the Kremlin of escalating attacks instead of observing the energy ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump.
Speaking to journalists ahead of the second day of the European Council meeting in Brussels on October 16, von der Leyen said the EU was preparing its 22nd package of sanctions against Russia.
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“Of course, we supported President Trump’s energy ceasefire, but we’ve seen that Russia did not respect it. Not a single minute. Instead, Russia escalated. And therefore, we have to increase the pressure on Russia. We’re working now on the 22nd sanctions package. And one thing is absolutely clear. We will not lift any sanctions unless Russia stops the war,” von der Leyen stated.
Alongside efforts to increase economic pressure on Moscow, the European Commission president emphasized that the EU remains focused on helping Ukraine prepare for the upcoming winter, particularly as Russian attacks continue to threaten the country’s critical infrastructure.
“Russia is trying everything to destroy the energy and water infrastructure. But we stand by your side. We will support you as we did it in the other winters. We will overcome,” von der Leyen said, addressing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Commission president also outlined the broader agenda of the European Council meeting, noting that EU leaders would discuss Ukraine’s financial, budgetary, and military requirements, covering both 2026 and the following year.
Beyond immediate financial and military assistance, von der Leyen stressed the importance of Ukraine continuing its reform efforts as part of its European integration process. She urged Kyiv to maintain progress on reforms to enable the opening of the remaining negotiation clusters in Ukraine’s EU accession process by the end of the year.
Her remarks come as Ukraine continues to face extensive damage to its energy infrastructure following a series of Russian missile strikes, including a major attack on October 14.
According to Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi, Russian forces struck all three of Kyiv’s combined heat and power plants during the attack, while also targeting critical energy facilities in Kharkiv and the surrounding region.
Koretskyi reported that Russian ballistic missiles had been deliberately directed at energy infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and the Kharkiv region. Additional strikes hit essential facilities in the Kyiv region responsible for supplying electricity to the capital and central parts of Ukraine.
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