Overview

• Ursula von der Leyen said the European Commission will propose accelerating the phase‑out of Russian fossil fuels following her Sept. 16 call with President Trump.
• The Commission said a 19th sanctions package will be presented soon, with measures targeting Russia’s crypto sector, banks, and energy.
• Brussels has not provided a new timetable for the faster exit, and the current plan to end purchases by late 2027 remains the baseline.
• Bloomberg and Politico reported that the EU postponed tabling the 19th package slated for Sept. 17 as the U.S. pressed for tougher steps before moving ahead with its own actions.
• Trump has tied tougher U.S. measures to a full European halt to Russian oil, a goal complicated by Hungary and Slovakia’s continued imports via the Druzhba pipeline.