(Adnkronos) – Despite initial talks in Saudi Arabia between the US and Russia this week which excluded Ukrainian and European leaders, European Union sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine mean Europe has to take part in peace negotiations to end the war, Italy said on Thursday.
“I don’t think everything is moving in (Russia’s president Vladimi) Putin’s favour,” Tajani said in an interview with Italy’s Radio 24.
“There are sanctions that we have not lifted and we will maintain with great firmness in the hope of a lasting peace,” Tajani went on.
“In reality, Europe has to be present…and there can be no negotiations without (EU) sanctions being on the table,” Tajani said.
EU envoys agreed a 16th package of sanctions against Russia on Wednesday for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in on 24 February 2022. The new EU sanctions package is likely to be adopted by the bloc’s foreign ministers on Monday – the third anniversary of the war.
The sanctions package includes restrictions on Russian banks, measures to strengthen the G7 oil price cap, a Russian aluminium import ban and new export bans, according to EU diplomats.
