No Ukraine peace without lifting Russia sanctions – EU member

The EU will have to lift its sanctions on Russia as part of any peace agreement on Ukraine, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said, welcoming the US-drafted plan to end the hostilities.

Speaking at a press briefing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tajani said that while the US roadmap needs to be revised, it is still a starting point.

“Europe will contribute, also because a peace agreement cannot be reached without a European presence, because Europe has imposed sanctions on Russia, and therefore, to conclude a peace agreement, Europe must lift its own sanctions.”

The minister welcomed discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine, adding that he hopes progress will allow “peace by Christmas,” and that the West is now “awaiting responses from Moscow.”

According to media reports, the initial US-drafted plan would require Ukraine to stay out of NATO, relinquish the parts of the new Russian regions in Donbass still under its control, freeze the front lines in Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, and cap the size of its army. It also reportedly includes sanctions relief for Russia.

Ukrainian officials reportedly agreed to the US proposal in principle, with only technical points remaining. Russia has said it received the broad outline of the US plan but has not held substantive discussions with Washington.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the public speculation “an information bacchanalia,” and said Moscow “does not engage in megaphone diplomacy.”

Russian officials say the economy has adapted to the Western sanctions, which have been in place since 2014 and were significantly ramped up in 2022 after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. However, Peskov has said Moscow remains open to working with foreign businesses, even with those that exited Russia – unless they provided direct support for the Ukrainian army.

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