Blinken allowed the lifting of sanctions against Russia following negotiations with Ukraine US

Sanctions against Russia may be lifted following Russian-Ukrainian talks, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in an interview with NBC.

“The entire world community has collectively imposed sanctions against Russia. We will follow what Ukraine is doing and what it wants,” Blinken said. If Ukraine decides that this will lead to the end of hostilities, “if it means lifting sanctions, then of course,” he continued.

He recalled that the purpose of the sanctions is "to change the behavior of Russia" - it is not implied that they will last forever. If the negotiations have a result, then “at some point the sanctions will go away,” but it depends on the Russian leadership, the secretary of state said.

He added that while Washington is working with its partners to tighten sanctions, trying to deprive Russia of ways to bypass them.