EU looks to impose sanctions on Putin simultaneously with US, says von der Leyen

BERLIN — The EU is ready to team up with the U.S. to impose simultaneous sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin to pressure him toward peace negotiations, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in an interview.

“We have discussed how we can implement European sanctions and American sanctions at the same time if Putin does not sit down at the negotiating table,” von der Leyen told the Berlin Playbook Podcast.

The EU is currently planning its 18th package of sanctions against Russia, and von der Leyen said: “We are primarily concerned with sanctioning Russian energy and drying up Russia’s sources of finance.”

The EU's sanctions are expected to include restrictions on companies connected to the two Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany, and a lowering of an oil price cap.

After meeting with American Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on Monday, von der Leyen said she was pleased about his plans to pile pressure on Russia. A bipartisan bill he is sponsoring would impose tariffs of 500 percent on goods imported from countries that still buy Russian fossil fuels and other products.

When asked what she expected from impending sanctions, von der Leyen said: “So if the Americans decide to impose sanctions, then the 500 percent will be included in this package.”

A European Commission official clarified von der Leyen was not referring to including the 500 percent tariffs in the EU's 18th sanctions package, but stressed the EU had other tools at its disposal.

“The idea is to coordinate as much as possible,” said von der Leyen's chief spokesperson Paula Pinho. “It cannot be identical."

Indeed, in terms of the 500 percent tariff plan, the EU has been more concerned that its countries should get exemptions from U.S. measures against importers of Russian oil and gas.

CORRECTED: This article has been amended to clarify von der Leyen's remarks on sanctions.