Ursula von der Leyen: EU will not follow US on Russian diesel
The European Commission president said sanctions will stay in force until Moscow ends the war in Ukraine, speaking to MEPs on October 21, 2026.
Ursula von der Leyen told members of the European Parliament on October 21, 2026 that the European Union will not soften restrictions on Russian fossil fuels to mirror a recent agreement between the United States and Moscow on diesel deliveries.
Addressing lawmakers in Strasbourg, the President of the European Commission warned that Russia cannot be treated as a reliable energy supplier and stressed that existing measures will remain tied to the course of the war in Ukraine.
Firm stance despite US move
“EU sanctions on Russian energy will remain in place until Moscow ends its war on Ukraine,” von der Leyen said on Wednesday. She added that past experience shows Moscow can use energy dependence as leverage and that Europe has learned that lesson.
Von der Leyen also said: "Our experience shows that at any moment it could use energy dependence as a means of blackmail. That is a lesson Europe will certainly not forget."
The remarks came after reports this month (October 2026) that US President Donald Trump agreed with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to ease sanctions on diesel imports until April 2027, a step Trump later defended by saying the EU had purchased Russian fossil fuels worth "several billion" without providing further details.
European officials are also watching reports that the US floated proposals to restart Russian gas deliveries via the Nord Stream pipeline; von der Leyen's comments underline that Brussels will keep sanction policy linked to the end of the war rather than to short-term price moves on global energy markets.
Photo: press material from the event
