The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, G7 gathering and the summit of the European Council were held successively in Brussels, during which the Ukraine crisis was the major focus.
U.S. President Joe Biden squeezed his schedule for Thursday and Friday to attend the three intensive summits, but he failed to talk the European partners into more sanctions against Russia.
At the European Council summit on Thursday, EU leaders, after an exchange of views with Biden on transatlantic cooperation in the context of the Ukraine crisis, concluded that the bloc would not impose more sanctions against Russia.
Although the United States and the EU announced a task force on Friday to reduce Europe's reliance on Russian fossil fuels, several European countries, including Germany, remain reluctant to announce drastic measures against Russia's energy for fear of aggravating supply disturbances.
Various politicians and experts have said the expectation that Europe could cut itself off Russian energy entirely looks too sanguine.
Statistics show that currently, over 40 percent of the EU's natural gas and 25 percent of its oil consumption come from Russia -- a reality that makes the EU's following the U.S. ban on Russian energy imports unrealistic, despite mounting pressure from Washington.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
