Media: EU unlikely to ease anti-Russia sanctions even after Ukraine war ends

European nations insist that sanctions on Russia will stay in place—if not tighten—until the Ukraine war ends, despite signs that a potential Trump administration may push for a ceasefire with concessions to Moscow.

According to Politico, Washington is reportedly considering putting the release of frozen Russian assets and the lifting of sanctions—potentially including EU measures—on the table as incentives for a ceasefire, Caliber.Az reports.

"The question is: What will they [the U.S.] be asking the Europeans?" said Majda Ruge, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Earlier, Reuters cited European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper as saying that the bloc would base any decision on lifting or easing sanctions on Russia’s actions, not just its words.

"Experience has shown that Russia must be judged by its actions, not by its words," she said.

The withdrawal of all Russian forces from Ukraine would be one of the main conditions to lift or amend EU sanctions, the European Commission said on Wednesday.

The EU has imposed sweeping economic restrictions on Russia since the start of the Ukraine conflict, targeting sectors including finance, energy, and defence. While some nations have debated adjustments, the overall consensus remains that any softening of sanctions will be conditional on Moscow’s future conduct.

By Aghakazim Guliyev