The European Union (EU) reaffirmed this Wednesday that the “unconditional” withdrawal of Vladimir Putin’s forces from the entire Ukrainian territory is a fundamental condition for reconsidering or lifting the sanctions imposed on Russia, according to a spokesperson for the community bloc.
“The unconditional withdrawal of Russian military forces from the entire territory of Ukraine is one of the main preconditions for amending or lifting sanctions,” the spokesperson stated, referring to the bloc’s stance on the war that began in February 2022 with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Additionally, the EU reiterated its demand to end the “unjustified and unprovoked Russian aggression” against Ukraine and reaffirmed its support for Kyiv in the face of Moscow’s offensive. Since the beginning of the conflict, the bloc has implemented 16 packages of economic sanctions against Russia.
Among the measures adopted, the EU froze Russian state assets estimated at 235 billion euros (more than 250 billion dollars). The interest generated by these funds, ranging between 2.5 and 3 billion euros annually, is allocated to strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
The spokesperson also noted that Brussels “takes note” of recent contacts between Russia and the United States, as well as between Ukraine and Washington, which took place in Saudi Arabia. “Russia must now demonstrate a genuine political will to end its illegal war of aggression,” she added.
The European bloc assured that it will continue exerting “maximum pressure on Russia, using all available tools, including sanctions, to reduce its ability to continue waging war against Ukraine.”
Regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements, the spokesperson emphasized that although he claims to seek lasting peace, “Russia continues to cause death and destruction every day through systematic attacks on civilians and infrastructure in Ukraine.”
For its part, the United States announced on Tuesday that it had reached separate agreements with Ukraine and Russia to reduce tensions in the Black Sea and establish a ban on attacks against energy facilities. However, the Kremlin clarified that these commitments will only be implemented if Western sanctions on its agricultural sector are lifted.
The White House detailed in two statements that negotiations with Moscow and Kyiv took place between March 23 and 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In them, Washington claimed to have agreed with both parties to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes, and eliminate the use of force in this strategic area.
The Kremlin reported that Russia and the United States agreed to a 30-day energy truce, which will apply to pipelines, power plants, and refineries. Sensitive infrastructure such as nuclear power plants and dams will also be protected, Moscow specified.
In an official statement, the Russian presidency affirmed that the list of protected facilities was “agreed upon between Moscow and Washington.” Among them are nuclear power plants and hydroelectric dams, targets that Kyiv and Moscow have repeatedly accused each other of attacking over the past three years.
Following Washington’s announcement, Russia warned that it would not implement the agreement without concrete guarantees. The Kremlin demands the lifting of sanctions affecting its trade in grain and fertilizers, including the reconnection of the agricultural bank Rosselkhozbank to the SWIFT system and the unblocking of port services for Russian merchant ships.
