The United States and the European Union have agreed on a need to maintain "maximum pressure" on Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, a European official said Tuesday.

Russia is posing an existential threat to the European Union’s security and the only way to address that is to increase spending on defence, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. While warning of a possible attack by Russia in the coming years, Kallas added that the EU had for too long offered Russia alternatives.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed global challenges like the Ukraine war, Iran, and China during their first call since the Trump administration began.

Before reupping the sanctions, Budapest wanted to wait for Trump's inauguration, then insisted Brussels push Ukraine to reopen a gas pipeline running to Central Europe.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she expected the bloc to renew its sanctions on Russia on Monday after Hungary signalled it would stop holding up the move in return for assurances about energy security.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the Ukraine war, Iran and China on Tuesday in their first phone call since the Trump administration took office on 20 January.

Officials said Ms Kallas and Mr Rubio agreed on the need to maintain "maximum pressure on Moscow" over it's war on Ukraine. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The European Union has restarted its civilian mission to monitor the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt at Rafah, the bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday.

The new U.S. administration understands it is necessary to keep exerting pressure on Russia to end the Russo-Ukrainian war. — Ukrinform.

When she was prime minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas represented 1.3 million people in a tiny nation sandwiched between Russia and the Baltic Sea. Since taking up her post as European Union (EU) foreign affairs chief in late 2024,

As the new Damascus authorities strive to restore their country and its diplomatic links, they understand that Moscow is essential to this effort