Kremlin Blasts EU For ‘Not Wanting Peace’ As It Refuses To Ease Sanctions

Moscow has blasted the European Union’s declaration that it will not lift sanctions on Russia in the context of the US-backed Black Sea ceasefire deal. The Russian side has made clear that for the deal to be implemented the West must remove sanctions from the state-owned Rosselkhozbank as a precondition. 

“An integral part of the Black Sea deal is the lifting of sanctions on a Russian bank,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in reference to the primary financial entity overseeing Russian agricultural products.

“If European countries don’t want to go down this path, it means they don’t want to go down the path of peace in unison with the efforts shown in Moscow and Washington,” he added.

Rosselkhozbank has remained cut off from the SWIFT financial messaging network due to EU sanctions, and Russia is seeking immediate reconnect if peace is to be secured in the Black Sea.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen explained at the end this week, “The sanctions are very significant; they are painful; they have an impact on the Russian economy, and they represent a powerful lever.”

So clearly Europe is not ready to let go of this ‘power lever’. Von der Leyen made clear that the sanctions ”will remain in effect until a just and lasting peace is established in Ukraine.” But she did also say that “when the war is over, the sanctions might be removed.”

Other European leaders have echoed this viewpoint, for example with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz calling sanctions relief a ”grave mistake” which “makes no sense” without a ceasefire first. The Zelensky government too stands against the easting of anti-Russia sanctions. 

The Kremlin has further described that Europe is actively blocking Trump’s good-faith efforts to establish peace, and that this is ultimately behind the EU’s refusal to lift sanctions.

Russian sources have meanwhile pointed out that Russia is still thriving despite the West’s record number of sanctions on the country.

Trump admin is increasingly openly clashing with the EU on the Black Sea deal…

Developments on Russia-US Talks on Ukraine:

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: Russia’s conditions to restore the Black Sea Initiative demand Rosselkhozbank be re-connected to SWIFT & lifting of EU sanctions. pic.twitter.com/TMbdi2riNa

— Fiorella Isabel (@FiorellaIsabelM) March 26, 2025

“Earlier this week, President Vladimir Putin asserted that the Russian economy has become the fourth largest in the world in purchasing power parity terms after those of China, the US and India, despite a record 28,595 sanctions being placed on it by Washington, Brussels and their allies,” wrote RT.

“According to the Russian government’s data, the country’s economy grew 4.1% in 2024, surpassing the official forecast of 3.9%,” the same report said.