UK, EU threaten Russia with sanctions if Putin refuses peace talks

A UK government official told The Telegraph about this.

The source told the outlet that Britain and the EU are preparing new sanctions against Russia, which could be imposed if Putin refuses to take part in talks with Zelenskyy and Trump.

“If Putin delays, evades, or refuses negotiations, it will be another reason to impose sanctions,” he said.

Other UK government sources also noted that Putin agreed to meet Trump in Alaska only after the U.S. president imposed sanctions on India for continuing to buy Russian oil.

• On August 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the White House, where he was welcomed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The leaders first held a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, after which they met with European leaders and the NATO Secretary General. The talks then continued in a different format.
• Following the talks, Trump announced that he had begun preparations for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin.