Ukraine Weighs Easing Russia Sanctions - But Only for Real Peace

Ukraine is prepared to support the easing of sanctions against Russia in the event of that a verifiable peace agreement is reached but says that sanctions must remain in place as a tool to force Moscow to take real steps to end the war.

A senior Kyiv official responsible for sanctions policy told Politico that this issue is being discussed amid intensified bilateral negotiations, initiated by President Donald Trump between the US and Moscow, in an effort to end the war.

Ukraine believes that any easing of sanctions against Russia must be as a result of the establishing of a just peace that ensures the security of Ukrainians, Vladyslav Vlasiuk Kyiv’s presidential envoy for sanctions policy said. He stressed that economic restrictions must fulfill their primary function of forcing Russia to stop its aggression and agree to peace arrangements.

Economic restrictions, embargoes and bans on importing Russian energy, he said, “have their own objectives, which might be pushing Russia to stop its aggression and to make them make a deal on lasting peace,” rather than simply being a “punishment of some kind.”

According to him, the potential resumption of business relations depends on evidence of Moscow’s tangible actions toward ending the war while underscoring the need for strong enough sanctions pressure to compel Russia to come to the negotiating table.

“We’ve already seen that the Russians are trying to ask some questions [about] if those sanctions should be lifted, at least some of them, which gives us a better understanding of what sanctions are most painful,” Vlasiuk said. “It’s always good to know what is the most painful, and we have to use this leverage wisely.”

He added that Kyiv is also seeking compensation for the suffering Ukrainians have endured as a result of the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also called for the need to maintain tough economic measures to pressure Russia into peace.