Sanctions on Russia Could Be Lifted with Military Withdrawal from Ukraine, Says UK

Britain and other Western nations have imposed numerous economic sanctions to cripple the Russian economy and punish President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine.

London: The sanctions imposed on Russian individuals and companies could be lifted if Russia withdraws from Ukraine and commits to ending the aggression, the Telegraph newspaper reported quoting British foreign minister Liz Truss as saying on Saturday. Britain and other Western nations have imposed numerous economic sanctions to cripple the Russian economy and punish President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine. With these sanctions, western nations are seeking to press Putin to abandon what he calls a special military operation to demilitarise and “denazify” Ukraine.

Truss held out the possibility the measures could end if Moscow changed course, and said, “What we know is that Russia signed up to multiple agreements they simply don’t comply with. So there needs to be hard levers. Of course, sanctions are a hard lever.”

“Those sanctions should only come off with a full ceasefire and withdrawal, but also commitments that there will be no further aggression. And also, there’s the opportunity to have snapback sanctions if there is further aggression in future. That is a real lever that I think can be used,” she told the Telegraph in an interview.

British Sanctions On Russia

The British government has reportedly so far imposed sanctions on Russian banks with total assets of 500 billion pounds (USD 658.65 billion) and oligarchs and family members with a net worth of more than 150 billion pounds.

What Is Happening In Ukraine?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday demanded Western nations to provide a fraction of the military hardware in their stockpiles and asked whether they were afraid of Moscow. Several countries have promised to send anti-armour and anti-aircraft missiles as well as small arms but Zelenskiy said Kyiv needed tanks, planes and anti-ship systems.

“That is what our partners have, that is what is just gathering dust there. This is all for not only the freedom of Ukraine but for the freedom of Europe,” news agency Reuters quoted Zelenskiy as saying in a late-night video address.

He said Ukraine needed just 1% of NATO’s aircraft and 1% of its tanks and would not ask for more. “We’ve already been waiting 31 days. Who is in charge of the Euro-Atlantic community? Is it really still Moscow, because of intimidation?” he said.

Zelenskiy has repeatedly insisted that Russia will seek to expand further into Europe if Ukraine falls. NATO though does not back his request for a no-fly zone over Ukraine on the grounds this could provoke a wider war.