Officials said Ms Kallas and Mr Rubio agreed on the need to maintain "maximum pressure on Moscow" over it's war on Ukraine. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The United States and the European Union have agreed on a need to maintain "maximum pressure" on Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, a European official said Tuesday.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed global challenges like the Ukraine war, Iran, and China during their first call since the Trump administration began.

The foreign ministers of the EU member states, who met today in Brussels in the format of the EU Council, agreed to extend sanctions against Russia o

Before reupping the sanctions, Budapest wanted to wait for Trump's inauguration, then insisted Brussels push Ukraine to reopen a gas pipeline running to Central Europe.

The European Union renewed on Monday its wide-ranging sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, after Hungary stopped holding up the move in return for a declaration on energy security.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the Ukraine war, Iran and China on Tuesday in their first phone call since the Trump administration took office on 20 January.

The economic sanctions on Moscow were set to expire on January 31, and the EU Foreign Ministers unanimously decided to extend them for another six months

The Tartus port is Russia’s sole naval base outside the former Soviet Union and has played a critical role in Moscow’s military presence in the Mediterranean, but according to Syrian opposition outlet Shaam, citing the Ministry of Information, the agreement was annulled, and the Russians must leave.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she expected the bloc to renew its sanctions on Russia on Monday after Hungary signalled it would stop holding up the move in return for assurances about energy security.

The European Union will moved forward with a renewal on Russian sanctions after a deal was struck with Hungary, according to multiple reports.