The Italian government said on Tuesday (19).

In the note, it was stated that allied countries also agreed on the need to “increase Moscow’s international isolation”.

The announcement was confirmed by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. “We will further strengthen our sanctions against Russia and intensify financial and security assistance to Ukraine.”

The decision was made during a video conference call between President Joe Biden and key US allies dedicated to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The video conference brought together the leaders of France, Emmanuel Macron; Boris Johnson from the UK; Olaf Scholz from Germany; Klaus Iohannis from Romania; Poland, Andrzej Duda; Italy, Mario Draghi; Canada, Justin Trudeau; and Japan, Fumio Kishida.

The President of the European Council Charles Michel and NATO President Jens Stoltenberg also attended the meeting.

Stoltenberg confirmed in a statement that the participants agreed on the “importance of getting Russia to pay even more dearly” for the invasion of Ukraine.

The Italian government also stressed that “the mutual commitment to diversify energy sources and thereby reduce dependence on Russian resources” was reaffirmed.

Jen Psaki, spokesperson for Casa Blanca, said the participants discussed “coordinated efforts to continue to impose significant economic costs on Russia for their actions”.

The increase in sanctions was announced amid a new phase of Russia’s offensive against Ukraine in the Donbass region (east).

Pro-Moscow separatists have controlled parts of Donbass since 2014 in two self-proclaimed republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces.