EU will not lift sanctions against Russia anytime soon

BRUSSELS (ANP) – After consultations in Saudi Arabia, the United States said Tuesday that safety agreements were made regarding shipping in the Black Sea. Discussions would also be aimed at freeing Ukrainian prisoners. The EU says it welcomes these talks but also wants to see “political will” from the Russians to end the war, said the spokesperson.

The EU does not want to lift sanctions because it wants to keep pressure on Russia to stop the war. The EU sanctions are not a restriction on trade in agricultural products between Russia and third countries, according to the EU spokesperson. The EU wants to prevent global food security from being endangered. The spokesperson emphasizes that ending the war “would have the greatest and most lasting positive impact on global food security.”

According to the EU spokesperson, Russia should be judged “by its actions, not its words.” “Vladimir Putin says he wants lasting peace, but Russia continues to cause more death and destruction every day. These attacks could have been prevented if Russia truly meant it when it said it wanted peace.”

The EU further states that it is willing to discuss peace “together with Ukraine, the United States, and other partners.”

(March 26, 2025)