EU not to lift anti-Russian sanctions after end of fighting in Ukraine, Russian media

The European Union will not lift sanctions against Russia even after the complete end of hostilities in Ukraine and a peace agreement, a diplomatic source in Brussels said, reported from TASS.

"We must be aware that sanctions will not be lifted after the end of hostilities in Ukraine. Even if the lifting of sanctions becomes a part of a ceasefire agreement or a condition for signing a peace agreement, which sooner or later must end the conflict, it will likely be very difficult to fulfill this obligation,” the source said.

According to the source, there is a problem in the very procedure for making sanctions decisions. A unanimous decision must be made in the EU Council to put restrictions into effect, and for absolutely any decision to lift them or even ease the sanctions regime, the source continued.

"The current EU sanctions do not have any criteria for lifting. No conditions were ever formulated upon fulfillment of which the sanctions could be lifted. Thus, the possibilities for maintaining them in force are legally unlimited,” he stated.

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