EU Aims for Russian Oil Ban as Ukraine Says Battlefield Assault Intensifies

Models of oil barrels in front of the displayed sign "stop", EU and Russia flag colors in this illustration taken on March 8, 2022. Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters

KYIV/BRUSSELS—The European Union proposed its toughest sanctions yet against Russia on May 4, including a phased oil embargo, as Kyiv said Moscow was intensifying an offensive in eastern Ukraine and close Russian ally Belarus announced large-scale army drills.

Russia was intensifying its assault, Ukraine’s defense ministry said, with almost 50 airstrikes carried out on May 3 alone.