Vsevolod Chentsov, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, said Russia must take “real, concrete” steps towards peace before the European Union considers “any easing of sanctions”.
“We expect the EU to maintain unity,” Chentsov insisted after France pushed for Uzbek-Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov to be removed from the sanctions list as part of efforts to secure the release of two French nationals imprisoned in Azerbaijan.
Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Chentsov said he was “optimistic” about the outcome of their talks.