PARIS, August 16. /TASS/. The countries of the European Union are ready to continue to put pressure on Russia and tighten sanctions, according to a statement by the heads of the European Commission and the European Council, as well as the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Finland and the UK, which is not part of the EU.

"As long as the killing in Ukraine continues, we stand ready to uphold the pressure on Russia. We will continue to strengthen sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia's war economy until there is a just and lasting peace," the document says.

On August 15, a meeting between Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump took place at a military base in Alaska. After the meeting US President Donald Trump held telephone conversations with the heads of European countries, the EU leadership, and Vladimir Zelensky.

The European Union countries were unable to promptly adopt a joint statement on the Russia-US summit in Alaska. Instead, the EU leadership - joined by the heads of five of the 27 EU member states and the UK - released a statement, which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen published on X.