German Chancellor warns against lifting Russia sanctions
Removing the sanctions currently imposed on Russia would be a mistake, stated German Chancellor Olaf Scholz following Thursday's summit in Paris, which focused on support for Ukraine and included representatives from nearly 30 countries. The Kremlin is demanding the lifting of some sanctions as part of ongoing peace negotiations 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 remarked. The German Chancellor asserted that it is clear Russia is not presently very interested in peace.
It's worth recalling that on Tuesday, the White House issued a statement after USA-Russia and USA-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia. It announced that Russia and Ukraine had 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.
Additionally, the USA agreed to assist Russia in "restoring Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lowering maritime insurance costs, and enhancing access to ports and payment systems for such transactions."
At least some of the conditions set by Russia fall outside the USA's jurisdiction and rest with 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 noted that this 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 observed.
On Thursday, a summit of the "coalition of the willing," which includes countries supporting Ukraine in the peace process, took place in Paris. Heads of state and government from 27 countries, as well as leaders of EU and NATO institutions, participated in the meeting. From Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk attended the summit.
