**Russian Sanctions Could Be Relaxed If Ukraine Gets Security and Justice**
Ukraine’s top official on sanctions, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, says that Western restrictions against Russia could be eased if Moscow ensures security and justice for Ukraine. In an interview with Politico published on March 17, Vlasiuk said that lifting the economic restrictions is “a matter of time,” but only if it happens under the right conditions.
**Sanctions Aim to Stop Russian Aggression**
The US, EU, and other international partners have imposed heavy sanctions on Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. The goal is to undermine Russia’s ability to wage war by targeting its energy sector, which makes up a significant part of Moscow’s war budget.
**Russia Already Asking for Eased Restrictions**
Vlasiuk noted that Moscow is already asking to ease specific restrictions, indicating what hurts Russia the most. While it’s too early to discuss which sanctions could be lifted, Vlasiuk stressed that a lasting agreement with Russia would have to include justice and “compensations for the Ukrainians” for more than three years of invasion.
**Sanctions Have Had a Significant Impact on Russia**
Western sanctions have had a significant impact on Russia. Over 460 international companies have exited the country since February 2022, representing a loss of $6 billion in taxes paid to the Russian state. The US has also extended some sanctions and denied an exemption allowing Russian banks to use US payment systems for energy transactions.
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