EU says ‘unconditional withdrawal’ of Russia from Ukraine is a precondition to amend sanctions

Published March 26, 2025
Plastic letters arranged to read “Sanctions” are placed in front the flag colours of the EU and Russia in this illustration taken in February 2022. Reuters/File
Plastic letters arranged to read “Sanctions” are placed in front the flag colours of the EU and Russia in this illustration taken in February 2022. Reuters/File

The withdrawal of all Russian forces from Ukraine would be one of the main conditions for lifting or amending EU sanctions, the European Commission said on Wednesday.

The United States reached separate deals on Tuesday with Ukraine and Russia to pause their attacks at sea and against energy targets, with Washington agreeing to push to lift some sanctions against Moscow. The EU was not invited to those talks.

The commission said the EU welcomed the agreement between Washington and Kyiv.

“The end of the Russian unprovoked and unjustified aggression in Ukraine and unconditional withdrawal of all Russian military forces from the entire territory of Ukraine would be one of the main preconditions to amend or lift sanctions,” EU spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, Anitta Hipper, said in a statement.

Russia said on Tuesday the United States had agreed to help it lift a series of Western sanctions and restrictions on food, fertiliser and shipping companies as preconditions for a maritime security deal in the Black Sea.

Diplomats told Reuters that most of the curbs listed by the Kremlin are related to European Union sanctions and restrictions.

The commission added the bloc did not have sanctions targeting agricultural goods but did have “prohibitive tariffs” on grain products imported from Russia and Belarus, which entered into force on July 1.

Further tariffs on more agricultural products, as well as some fertilisers, were still under discussion.

European Union countries renewed the bloc’s two sanctions frameworks on Russia for another six months at the end of January and earlier this month. Any changes to sanctions require unanimity among its 27 member states.

“Russia must now demonstrate genuine political will to end its illegal and unprovoked war of aggression,” Hipper added. “Experience has shown that Russia must be judged by its actions, not by its words.”

Opinion

Editorial

Momentary relief
Updated 10 May, 2026

Momentary relief

THE IMF’s approval of the latest review of Pakistan’s ongoing Fund programme comes at a moment of growing global...
India’s global shame
10 May, 2026

India’s global shame

INDIA’s rabid streak is at an all-time high. Prejudice is now an organised movement to erase religious freedoms ...
Aurat March restrictions
Updated 10 May, 2026

Aurat March restrictions

The message could not have been clearer: women may gather, but only if they remain politically harmless.
Removing subsidies
Updated 09 May, 2026

Removing subsidies

The government no longer has the budgetary space to continue carrying hundreds of billions of rupees in untargeted subsidies while the power sector itself remains trapped in circular debt, inefficiencies, theft and under-recovery.
Scarred at home
09 May, 2026

Scarred at home

WHEN homes turn violent towards children, the psychosocial damage is lifelong. In Pakistan, parental violence is...
Zionist zealotry
09 May, 2026

Zionist zealotry

BOTH the Israeli military and far-right citizens of the Zionist state have been involved in appalling hate crimes...