European leaders opposed the early lifting of sanctions against Russia.

European leaders and officials attend the "Peace and Security Meeting for Ukraine" at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France.

European leaders plan to maintain sanctions against Russia. They believe this will help bring Moscow to the negotiating table more quickly , writesBLOOMBERG .

On March 27, approximately 30 European leaders gathered for a defense summit in Paris. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , who arrived in Paris the day before , also attended . Among the topics discussed were the recent talks in Saudi Arabia.

"Now is not the time to lift sanctions. On the contrary, we discussed how we could strengthen sanctions to support the US initiative to bring Russia to the negotiating table through further pressure," said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

EU leaders said that easing sanctions would require unanimous approval from the 27 member states. This would not happen until there was a "just and comprehensive peace."

Euractiv also reported earlier that EU diplomats had ruled out easing sanctions against Russia until at least July 31, when a vote on their extension is scheduled.

Earlier, the Kremlin announced an agreement with the United States to implement the "Black Sea Initiative," which includes ensuring safe navigation in the Black Sea. According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russia's conditions for ending strikes in the Black Sea included the lifting of not only US sanctions but also restrictive measures imposed by EU countries.

Bloomberg notes that Europe's determination to maintain sanctions against Russia could become "a major flashpoint in relations with the US," as Washington insists on a swift end to the conflict in Ukraine . Moscow considers the restrictions illegal and demands their lifting.

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