US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that lifting or tightening sanctions on Russia would depend on how the Ukraine crisis is resolved.
He noted that all sanctions arise from the conflict and were imposed precisely because of it. To end any conflict, concessions by all sides are necessary.
He added that no decisions would be made in advance and there would be no discussion today or during a press briefing.
Rubio described Washington’s main goal as seeking a solution that ends the conflict and remains fair, long‑lasting, stable, and acceptable to all parties.
He also pointed out that with the European Union beginning to act more actively, other players are involved in imposing sanctions against Moscow.
“At some point the European Union will need to sit at the negotiating table because sanctions are part of the process,” he said.
US Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce stressed the importance of cooperation on shared geopolitical interests and the possibility of exploring economic and investment opportunities that would arise once the conflict is resolved.
On February 15 the Russian Foreign Ministry reported a phone call between Sergey Lavrov and Rubio. The two sides agreed to keep channels open to discuss the removal of trade, economic, and investment restrictions between the two countries.
Not discussed yet
Kirill Dmitriev, president of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said that Russia and the United States had not discussed lifting direct sanctions in Saudi Arabia.
He noted that sanctions were not on the negotiating table; instead the discussion was about how to move forward with common economic steps and to address various political issues.
He stressed that both countries are open to cooperation and ready to participate in economic and investment activities.
Earlier, the RDIF president announced that Russia and the US were at the early stages of dialogue on sanctions.
“Establishing a dialogue is crucial, and colleagues should understand that sanctions have affected American companies more than they have hurt Russia,” he said.
Alexei Chepa, vice president of the International Affairs Committee, expressed confidence that the situation had started to change.
He noted that sanctions would ease gradually, but would not disappear entirely, since many measures remain useful to support American companies and might even bolster some sectors.
What concerns ordinary people is travel and financial issues; it is possible that Russian payment cards could be used abroad in the future.
Tightening of sanctions against petroleum from the Russian Federation
European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis stated that the EU would not drop anti‑Russian sanctions even if Washington moves first.
“Given the policy direction of the new US administration, the EU must address its own security needs and proceed with its own sanctions policy. Work continues on the 16th package,” Dombrovskis noted.
Currently, EU members are developing the 16th sanctions package against the Russian Federation. The package is expected to tighten restrictions on dozens of goods. Brussels will also coordinate with partners, including Kazakhstan, to enforce these measures.
At the same time, G7 members—the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan—are pursuing a price cap on Russian oil. The aim is to reduce revenue for Moscow’s military actions and encourage serious negotiations on the global stage.
Officials anticipate releasing both documents on the third anniversary of Russia’s military operation on February 24.
Oil prices are hovering around sixty dollars per barrel.