The European Union will continue to apply sanctions on Russia despite the diesel deal struck by United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the weekend, foreign ministers said on Monday.
The deal, as announced by Trump on social media, envisages that Moscow will release 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and global markets immediately, with an additional 500,000 tonnes in November and one million more after that.
To facilitate the arrangement, Washington issued a broad sanctions waiver for Russian diesel until April 2027, raising concerns in Ukraine and among its allies.
"The US is our biggest ally, but our message is clear: if we want to end this war, the only way we can do this is (by) putting more pressure on Russia," High Representative Kaja Kallas said on Monday morning as foreign ministers gathered in Luxembourg.
"Russia has started this war. We should not forget about this."
Kallas urged the White House to enforce the bill promoted by Senator Lindsey Graham that envisions far-reaching sanctions and tariffs on Moscow. But the law, approved in the wake of Graham's sudden death, leaves the decision to the president's discretion.
"If they would enact the Graham bill, we could really put the pressure so that Russia will finish this war," Kallas said.
Ireland's Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said the Trump-Putin diesel deal was "concerning" but insisted the bloc would continue its yearslong strategy.
The EU adopted on Monday its largest-ever addition to its sanctions list, targeting more than 1,600 people and entitiesaccused of propping up Russia's war. More than half of them are connected to ballistic missile production.
"What we need to do is refocus and redouble our efforts in keeping pressure on Russia," McEntee said upon arrival.
"Our priority has to be to maintain that pressure, but also to maintain our channels with the US, because this is not going to be achievable without the support of the US."
Her Swedish counterpart, Maria Malmer Stenergard, criticised the diesel deal and encouraged her European peers to tap into the immobilised Russian assets to ramp up their military and financial support for Ukraine.
"I very much regret this (deal). I hope it will not go into force," she said.
"EU countries, regardless of what happens with the US, must stay calm and carry on and increase support by using the frozen assets and increase the pressure on Russia."
Her Lithuanian counterpart, Kęstutis Budrys, was also highly critical, saying the diesel deal "doesn't help, neither the prices of the oil products nor the unity within the transatlantic community".
"It is not the European way," Budrys told reporters.
"Our way is to increase pressure because we already see how it works. We are not done here because for Europe, this is the vital interest: to help Ukraine sustain this winter."
Estonia's Margus Tsahkna linked the agreement to the "domestic situation" in the US ahead of next month's midterm elections, where Trump's Republicans trail the Democrats, and predicted its material impact would be limited.
Trump has struggled to contain the backlash against his war on Iran, which is widely seen as the main reason behind the pronounced rise in fuel prices.
Tsahkna also said the energy ceasefire suddenly announced by Trump on Sunday was "not working", pointing to Russia's relentless airstrikes on Ukraine.
The truce is reportedly designed to cover oil refineries as a first step, which would make it heavily lopsided. Ukraine has just one plant while Russia has 32 major ones.
Kyiv has systematically hit Moscow's oil industry to cripple its war chest and gain leverage. But the strikes have angered Trump, leading to his deal with Putin.
"Energy is extremely important because the winter is going to be cold," Kallas said.
"It is important that it does not only apply to the refineries, where Ukraine has one, and Russia has plenty. It is definitely (to) the benefit of the Russians."