Chancellor Scholz warns against lifting Russia sanctions
Lifting the sanctions imposed on Russia would be a mistake now, stated German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after Thursday's summit in Paris regarding support for Ukraine, which included representatives from nearly 30 countries. The Kremlin is demanding the lifting of some sanctions as part of the ongoing peace talks with the USA.
According to Scholz, "it makes no sense at all" to lift sanctions until peace is achieved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "Unfortunately we are still a long way from that, as you can see," he assessed. The German Chancellor declared that it is evident that Russia is not currently greatly interested in peace.
Let's recall, on Tuesday, the White House, in a statement following USA-Russia and USA-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia, informed that Russia and Ukraine agreed with the United States to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial ships for military purposes in the Black Sea.
Both Russia and Ukraine were also to "develop measures for implementing President Trump’s and President Putin’s agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine." Both sides also made declarations to strive for lasting peace.
In addition, the USA was to agree to help Russia "restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions."
At least some of the conditions set by Russia are not within the USA's remit, but the European Union's. This includes, among other things, the demand for the reintegration of Rosselkhozbank into the international SWIFT banking communication system.
"US Statement on the Riyadh talks is out. Gains for Russia are apparent (facilitating Russian exports through the Black Sea). Gains for Ukraine are not. Russia slow walking process. US should not play that game," commented Daniel Fried from the think tank Atlantic Council.
Journalist Michael Weiss from The Insider noted that lifting EU sanctions, would require unanimity among member countries. He also added that this also concerns the reintegration of Rosselkhozbank into SWIFT. "Looks like those freeloading Europeans are being asked to 'bail out' the United States in its diplomatic capitulation to Russia," he assessed.
On Thursday, a summit of the "coalition of the willing," which includes countries supporting Ukraine, took place in Paris, among others, in the peace process. Heads of state and government from 27 countries, as well as heads of EU and NATO institutions, participated in the meeting. From Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk attended the summit.
