Ursula von der Leyen's team began working on sanctions against Russia back in November 2021. US President Joe Biden, after a briefing by US intelligence officials on the concentration of the Russian military near the borders of Ukraine, "sounded the alarm," according to Politico.
The European Commission was already ready for such sanctions, the newspaper writes. On April 20, Joe Biden discussed with Ursula von Der Leyen military and economic assistance to Ukraine, as well as the intention to impose new sanctions on Russia.