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UK, EU to ramp up pressure on Russia and boost defence initiatives
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 18, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
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Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 18, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
UK and EU to intensify pressure on Russia, focusing on defence and hybrid threats, as leaders meet in London to discuss Ukraine cooperation.
(Reuters) - Britain and the European Union will ramp up pressure on Russia and boost defence initiatives, as the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, meets British foreign minister David Lammy and defence minister John Healey in London on Tuesday.
The talks will coordinate cooperation on Ukraine and discuss efforts to increase economic pressure on Russia, UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement on Monday.
The discussions will also include stepping up action against hybrid threats such as cyberattacks, election interference and rampant Russian disinformation, the statement said.
Kallas and Lammy will also set review efforts to boost European defence spending through 'innovative initiatives' and military readiness in support of NATO.
"It's vital we upgrade our partnership with the EU and work together to bring an end to this war and deliver security of all of our citizens," Lammy said about the war in Ukraine.
Conditions demanded by Russia to agree to a ceasefire show that Moscow does not really want peace, Kallas told reporters in Brussels on Monday.
Earlier in the day, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would speak to Russia's Vladimir Putin on Tuesday morning about ending the Ukraine war.
Trump has been trying to win Putin's support for a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine accepted last week.
(Reporting by Harshita Meenaktshi in Bengaluru; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
The talks will focus on cooperation regarding Ukraine and increasing economic pressure on Russia, as well as addressing hybrid threats like cyberattacks and disinformation.
David Lammy stated that it is vital to upgrade the partnership with the EU to work together in bringing an end to the war and ensuring the security of all citizens.
Kaja Kallas indicated that the conditions demanded by Russia for a ceasefire demonstrate that Moscow does not genuinely seek peace.
The discussions will include innovative initiatives to boost European defence spending and improve military readiness in support of NATO.
The talks are set against the backdrop of ongoing tensions due to the war in Ukraine and the need for a coordinated response to Russian aggression.
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