European Union leaders gathered Monday in a new show of solidarity with Ukraine, but divisions over whether to target Russian oil in a new series of sanctions are exposing the limits of how far the bloc can go to help the war-torn country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will address the bloc's 27 leaders by video in the evening, has repeatedly demanded that the EU target Russia's lucrative energy sector and deprive Moscow of billions of dollars each day in supply payments.
"We're ready to get rid of our dependence on Russia's energy sources … but we're not able to do it in a short term," Fiala said. The EU has already imposed five rounds of sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine. The bloc has targeted more than 1,000 people, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and top government officials, as well as pro-Kremlin oligarchs, banks, the coal sector and more.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz left open the possibility of an EU agreement being struck at the summit, calling talks on the matter "good and constructive" and saying the bloc is determined to remain united.
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