The Czech and Slovak prime ministers on Monday urged the EU to exert "targeted pressure" on the Kremlin by sticking to sanctions imposed after Russia had invaded Ukraine last year.
"It is important for the EU and its partners to continue targeted pressure on the Russian Federation and thoroughly implement the sanctions," the premiers said in a statement.
Allies should also "prevent bypassing the sanctions and create mechanisms to punish those responsible for crimes related to this aggression", they added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted last week the European Union sanctions could have negative consequences for his country's economy.
The Czech and Slovak governments, led by Petr Fiala and Eduard Heger, respectively, met in the western Slovak city of Trencin on Monday.
It was the eighth joint meeting of the cabinets of the two EU and NATO members, which had formed a single country -- Czechoslovakia -- until a peaceful split in 1993.
Both countries have provided Ukraine with substantial humanitarian and military aid since the Russian invasion started in February 2022.
Fiala and Heger also urged the EU and NATO to stay united and to continue providing aid to Kyiv.
