On March 26, the European Commission (EC) announced that one of the prerequisites for lifting or amending sanctions against Russia is Moscow's entire withdrawal from Ukraine.
The EC spokesperson for foreign policy and security, Anitta Hipper, stressed: The unconditional withdrawal of all Russian military forces from all of Ukraine will be one of the prerequisites for amending or lifting sanctions.
Russia and Ukraine have previously reached separate agreements with an intermediary to temporarily suspend attacks at sea and on energy facilities.
Accordingly, Russia confirmed that the mediator has agreed to promote the lifting of a number of sanctions related to food, fertilizers and maritime transport. However, most of the restrictions that Russia is seeking to lift are related to sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU).
The Kremlin confirmed that some Western sanctions have been considered for lifting within the framework of a maritime security deal in the Black Sea. However, the EU has not been invited to participate in these negotiations, and the EC's statement appears to be a direct reaction to the above developments.
Since the beginning of the year, the EU has extended sanctions against Russia twice, in late January and early March, each for an additional 6 months. Any change to sanctions would require the unanimous agreement of all 27 EU member states.
