The EU faces the fifth year of the war in Ukraine with one question: "Can more be done?"

BrusselsThe Russian invasion of Ukraine, four years ago, It turned the European Union upside down.Suddenly, an ally on whom it was energy-dependent attacks a country that was approaching the EU's sphere of influence, and the European bloc reacts in an unprecedented way: by explicitly and unanimously supporting a country at war, such as Ukraine, and applying sanctions to Vladimir Putin's regime. The EU abandons its historical pacifism and becomes involved for the first time—albeit indirectly—in an armed conflict. No one expected Ukraine to withstand the initial onslaught of Russian troops, much less that the war would drag on—for now—for four years. However, the EU continued to send aid and weapons to Ukraine and is redoubling its efforts to compensate for Donald Trump's withdrawal, which abruptly cut off funding to Kyiv. The European bloc is undoubtedly the power that suffers the most from the consequences of Putin's imperialism and is spending the most money to support Volodymyr Zelensky's government. After four years of war, the EU fears the war will become entrenched. And he hasn't managed to get Putin to the negotiating table once and for all. Trump's promises to end the war in less than 48 hours quickly expired, and hopes for a new occupant in the White House have already faded. All the US president's attempts have come to nothing, even though he has offered significant concessions to the Kremlin on more than one occasion. In this context, EU leaders are repeatedly insisting on increasing pressure on Putin, and one of the tools they consider most powerful is the application of sanctions. European diplomatic sources explain that member states are expected to approve the twentieth package of restrictions against the Russian regime at the EU Foreign Affairs Council this Monday. This package will include a total ban on maritime services linked to the export of Russian crude oil and the expansion of the list of vessels that defy EU sanctions and continue to transport Russian fossil fuels.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, reiterated this Friday that EU sanctions against Russia "are working and are damaging the Russian economy." However, a growing number of voices are criticizing the fact that the restrictions against the Kremlin have not led Putin to actually negotiate a peace agreement. In this regard, diplomatic sources from several member states criticize the sanctions as being less forceful than they would like and are pressing for them to be increased.

The researcher from think tank CEPA Kurt Volker responds to ARA that the EU "could still do more" regarding sanctions to force Putin to reach an agreement and, at the same time, to ensure that European allies and the US come to the negotiating table with more strength. The expert believes that more severe sanctions could be applied, especially to Russian banking systems and in the energy sector.

However, the unity of the European bloc is no longer what it was at the beginning of the conflict. The most obvious case is that of Viktor Orbán's Hungary. The Hungarian prime minister, who is already in the midst of his pre-election campaign, always blocks and obstructs any aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. And now he is no longer the only black sheep; Slovakia and the Czech Republic have joined him.

Trump's abandonment

Trump is a major headache for the EU in every sense, especially for Ukraine. The US president has abruptly cut off aid to Kyiv and, in some of his usual vacillations, has openly sided with the Kremlin's interests. And, in addition to ceasing funding to Kyiv, he is demanding that European allies buy US weapons to send to Ukraine through a NATO program known as PURL, which has already mobilized more than €4 billion.

The European Union, however, is redoubling its efforts and has almost compensated for the US withdrawal. A study by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy calculates that the 59% increase in money that Europeans send to Ukraine in arms and funding has almost made up for Trump's withdrawal. "As a result, the aid Ukraine received in 2025 remains similar to that of previous years," the report concludes.

Despite the efforts of European allies, the US president has given very little consideration to EU leaders in all his attempts to reach a peace agreement with Putin. Thus, at best, another major challenge for the European bloc will be to fight for a seat, and a voice and a vote, at any potential negotiating table.