The Telegraph has learned that the EU is considering easing sanctions against Russia.

If Russia agrees to a ceasefire in Ukraine, the European Union may ease sanctions against Russia, The Telegraph reports, citing sources.

The goal is to achieve a ceasefire within the established timeframe—a deadline Europe hasn't yet agreed on. Urgent discussions are underway following the summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

An official statement from eight European leaders on August 16, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, said the signatories were "ready to maintain pressure on Russia <...> until a just and lasting peace is achieved."

After meeting with Putin, Trump noted that he would not impose new restrictions against Russia for now; he said that he might have to think about this in two or three weeks.

It's unclear whether sanctions easing was discussed during the conversation between the two presidents. Previously, Russia had demanded the lifting of restrictions as one of the conditions for a settlement. Moscow called the sanctions illegal but noted that it had developed "immunity" to them.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the Alaska summit that he had told Trump about the need to strengthen sanctions "if a trilateral meeting does not take place or if Russia avoids an honest conclusion" to the conflict.

Earlier, before the Alaska summit, Sky News also reported that the European Union was considering gradually easing sanctions against Russia if a ceasefire agreement were reached. According to the channel, the potential plan included the possibility of reimposing sanctions in the event of "any violations."

Following this, EC representative Ariana Podesta stated that Brussels intends to "fully maintain sanctions pressure on Russia," and recalled that 18 packages of anti-Russian sanctions have already been put into effect, and work is underway on the next one, which could be adopted in September.

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