UK Promises To Lift Sanctions If Russian Troops Withdraw From Ukraine

Police prepare to enter the residence reportedly belonging to Oleg Deripaska, the Russian billionaire on the UK sanctions list/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said sanctions imposed on Russian individuals and companies could be lifted as long as Russia withdraws from Ukraine and commits to ending aggression, the Telegraph newspaper reported on Saturday, March 26.

Britain and other Western countries are using economic sanctions to cripple Russia's economy and punish President Vladimir Putin for attacking Ukraine.

They are trying to pressure Putin to stop what he calls a special military operation to disarm and purge Nazi influence in Ukraine.

In an interview with the Telegraph, Truss raised the possibility that sanctions would expire if Moscow changed course.

“What we do know is that Russia signed several agreements which they did not abide by. So there needs to be a strong push. Of course, sanctions are a strong pressure," she said.

"Sanctions should be lifted not only with a ceasefire and full withdrawal, but also a commitment that there will be no further aggression. Also, there is an opportunity to reimpose sanctions automatically if there is further aggression in the future. That is real pressure which I think can be used," she said.

The British government said it had so far imposed sanctions on banks with total assets of £500 billion and oligarchs and family members with a net worth of more than £150 billion.

Truss also hinted that the crisis has brought Britain and the European Union closer after relations between the two became very strained by Brexit.

"One of the points I would make about this crisis is that we have been working very, very closely with the European Union," she said.

"Of course, there are some areas where we differ from the EU but fundamentally, we are all democratic countries, we all believe in the freedom and right of the people to choose their own government and we are very united in this struggle," she concluded.