EU vows to keep Russia sanctions amid ongoing tensions
Kaja Kallas emphasizes that the European Union will not abandon sanctions against Russia before talks between Moscow and Kyiv begin. Sanctions remain a key pressure tool in negotiations to end the conflict.
Kaja Kallas, the head of European diplomacy, remarked that the sanctions imposed on Russia will not be lifted before talks between Moscow and Kyiv commence. She stressed in an interview with AFP that sanctions are an important pressure tool in negotiations regarding the resolution of the armed conflict, as reported by "Kommersant."
Kallas explained that dropping sanctions would weaken the European Union's position in these negotiations.
Things haven't changed. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin hasn't changed his goals and nothing has changed on the ground. So there is no basis to for lifting the sanctions, said Kallas.
A new era of Trump?
It is worth noting that on January 17, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called on the EU to lift sanctions against Russia, arguing that a "new era" is imminent with Donald Trump taking office as President of the United States.
Since the beginning of the military operation in 2022, the EU has implemented 15 sanction packages against Russia and is currently preparing the 16th package. This package will include, among other measures, the gradual withdrawal of LNG gas imports from Russia and disconnecting new banks from the SWIFT system.
