BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has threatened to impose fresh sanctions on Russia after its President Vladimir Putin dodged U.S.-arranged peace talks in Istanbul Thursday.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy underscored Ukraine's position as the party of peace and traveled to Turkey in good faith in preparation for direct talks with his Russian counterpart, but Putin failed to turn up.
Putin sent a low-level Russian delegation to join the talks in the Turkish city, where U.S., Turkey and Ukraine delegations already arrived.
'The fact that President Zelenskyy traveled to Turkey despite this is an enormous gesture. Putin didn't show up - and that put him in the wrong,' Merz, who was elected Chancellor last week, wrote on X.
'A new sanctions package is ready. We will adopt it in Brussels on Tuesday,' he added.
Meanwhile, more than 40 leaders are set to attend the Tirana summit Friday.
Piling the pressure on the Kremlin will be the focus of discussions at the European Political Community, the UK Prime Minister's Office said.
Russian energy revenues are expected to be the central target in widespread sanctions action in the coming weeks if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire.
The European leaders will discuss shared challenges facing the continent and the threat to global stability and security posed by Putin.
Leaders are expected to reiterate calls for a full and unconditional ceasefire and demand Russia prove that they are serious about bringing its invasion to an end. For more than two months, Russia has failed to substantively respond to the United States' calls for a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire and genuine peace talks.
Work has already begun on what further sanctions can be implemented to degrade Russia's ability to prolong the war if it does not agree to a ceasefire.
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