Rasmussen suggests creating a new "D7" grouping of democracies, including the EU, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand, to form a "formidable force to resist coercion from China or the United States.

The European Union must focus on a new sanctions package to suffocate Russia's economy and force President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, France's foreign minister said.

The talks in Istanbul complicated a European push for the U.S. to pressure Russia an into a ceasefire in Ukraine, even as questions persist on who is attending.

The new package of EU sanctions comes one day before a direct round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey. View on euronews

The EU has given the greenlight to a fresh round of sanctions against Russia, sharpening its focus on the Kremlin’s 'shadow' oil fleet and foreign companies accused of aiding its war machine.

Europe is on track to replenish its depleted natural gas storage network using almost no Russian pipeline supplies for the first time ever. But the region's plans to completely phase out Russian gas still look like a daunting challenge.

The EU claims to be involved in peace efforts despite not sitting at the negotiating table and threatens further sanctions if the Kremlin does not accede to demands for a ceasefire

Latest measures come as European leaders threaten further action to force Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

Russia's friends in Eastern Europe say EU plans to end all Russian gas and energy imports are tantamount to "economic suicide" and a threat to energy security.

BRUSSELS - The EU is weighing a temporary return to its pre-war trade agreement with Ukraine if a renegotiated deal is not ready to take effect when war-related tariff suspensions expire on June 5, EU diplomats said on Wednesday.

European Council President António Costa has criticized the trip by Serbia's president to Russia’s Victory Day parade last week.

The leader of a British-based Russian spy ring which prosecutors said carried out surveillance for the Kremlin was sentenced in a London court on Monday to nearly 11 years in jail, as his five team members were jailed for a total of about 40 years.