President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said late on Sept. 16 that she “had a good call” with US President Donald Trump.
“I had a good call with @POTUS on strengthening our joint efforts to increase economic pressure on Russia through additional measures,” von der Leyen wrote on X.
She confirmed that the European Commission “will soon present its 19th package of sanctions, targeting crypto, banks, and energy.”
“Russia’s war economy, sustained by revenues from fossil fuels, is financing the bloodshed in Ukraine,” she added.
“To put an end to it, the Commission will propose speeding up the phase-out of Russian fossil imports,” von der Leyen said.
On Tuesday Kyiv Post reported that the Office of the President of Ukraine confirmed Tuesday that the European Union has postponed the adoption of its 19th sanctions package against Russia.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, presidential adviser on sanctions policy, told Kyiv Post that the delay is likely “due to [unspecified] technical issues” and coordination with EU partners, rather than for political reasons.
“This could mean an attempt to add some significant proposals to the package,” Vlasiuk said.
Politico reported earlier on Tuesday that the package, originally scheduled for Sept. 17, was removed from the agenda of the EU’s permanent representatives.
The information was communicated to capitals late Monday afternoon, with no details on when the package would now be unveiled. A spokesperson for the European Commission declined to comment.
According to the sources cited by the publication, the delay comes amid pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has urged NATO countries to stop buying Russian oil.
Hungary and Slovakia remain the main buyers of Russian oil from within the EU and have not yet halted purchases. European diplomats said Trump should influence the two countries directly due to close ties with their leaders.