European Leaders Discuss New Sanctions on Russia as Peace Talks Yield Slow Progress

European leaders called for new sanctions to force Putin to the negotiating table after he skipped direct Russia–Ukraine peace talks in Turkey.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (2nd L) after speaking to British and Albanian troops about their involvement with training Ukrainian troops under Operation Interflex, during a visit to Tirana before the European Political Community Summit, on May 15, 2025. Leon Neal/AFP via Getty Images

European leaders discussed levying new sanctions against Russia on May 16, as a peace settlement between Moscow and Kyiv remains elusive.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined a gathering of his European counterparts at the European Political Community summit in Tirana, Albania, on May 16 to discuss regional security concerns against the backdrop of the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war.

The Albania summit came on the same day that Russian and Ukrainian representatives met in Istanbul, Turkey, for the first direct talks between the belligerent countries since March of 2022.

Zelenskyy had sought a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey, but Putin declined the offer.

“If it turns out that the Russian delegation really is just theatrical and can’t deliver any results today, the world must respond,” Zelenskyy said as he addressed his fellow European leaders in Tirana.

“There needs to be a strong reaction, including sanctions against Russia’s energy sector and banks. Pressure must continue to rise until real progress is made.”

Addressing those in attendance at the Albania summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer likewise accused Putin of slow-walking the peace talks “and playing games whilst Ukraine has shown itself to be the party of peace.”

European nations have continued to raise sanctions against Russia since Putin ordered his forces to march on Ukraine in 2022.

Last weekend, European leaders reiterated demands for Putin to agree to a 30-day cease-fire by May 12. Their deadline came and went without the Russian leader bowing to their demands.

Addressing those in attendance at the Albania summit, Starmer insisted that the European community follow through on its sanctions threat.

“Having issued that ultimatum, we must be prepared to follow through, because if Russia won’t come to the negotiating table, Putin must pay the price,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen touted existing sanctions on Russia’s oil and gas industry.

“We are working on a next set of sanctions,” she said.

Von der Leyen said the next round of sanctions would target Russia’s Nord Stream pipelines and its so-called shadow fleet, a network of commercial vessels suspected of helping Russia circumvent international trade restrictions and surreptitiously sabotage Western undersea infrastructure.

Although international leaders expressed frustration over the speed of negotiations and Putin’s decision to not attend the Russia–Ukraine talks in Turkey, the two sides did reach an agreement to each turn over 1,000 of their prisoners of war.

This prisoner swap would be the largest since the war began.

Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky said both sides had also left the Istanbul meeting with an agreement to prepare a detailed proposal for a cease-fire.

Chris Summers contributed to this report.