EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday that there is no reason to lift sanctions against Russia, reports UNN citing Barrons.
“We definitely need sanctions. It's our leverage and it would be very strange to give it up,” Callas told reporters.
“Nothing has changed. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has not changed his goals, and nothing has changed on the ground. Therefore, there is no reason to lift the sanctions.
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The EU has imposed 15 rounds of unprecedented sanctions against Muscovy since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The next decision to extend the sanctions must be taken unanimously by the 27 EU member states by January 31.
But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban - one of Trump's closest EU allies and Russia's friendliest leader - has refused to agree to an extension pending talks with Trump's team after he takes office.
Orban said on Friday that Brussels must adapt to the changed situation because “a new era is beginning.
“It's time to throw sanctions out the window and establish a system of relations with russia without sanctions. This is still a long way off, but we have to work on it,” he told state radio in his regular interview.
“Right now the signals from Brussels are not encouraging,” he added.
Trump, who takes office on Monday, has promised to strike a deal to quickly end the war in Ukraine, raising fears he could force Kiev to make painful concessions to Moscow.
“Whatever the negotiations are, we will be in a much weaker position” if sanctions are lifted prematurely, Kallas said.
“I also don't think it's in the interest of the United States to waive sanctions right now.
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European diplomats are concerned about the delay on Hungary's part as time counts down to the expiration of sanctions at the end of the month.
If the measures are not implemented, it could allow Moscow to seize more than 200 billion euros ($205 billion) of frozen central bank assets in Europe.
Meanwhile, Moscow has shown no sign of easing its brutal onslaught of territory seizures in eastern Ukraine, which has resulted in the destruction of a number of towns and villages.