Bloomberg learned that Rubio promised Europe about sanctions against Russia

After meeting in Saudi Arabia, Rubio assured "a group of European colleagues" that the US would maintain measures against RUSSIA until an agreement was reached to end the conflict with Ukraine. Many tough sanctions were adopted in partnership with the EU Marco Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told European allies that President Donald Trump's administration will not lift sanctions against Russia at least until an agreement is reached to end the conflict with Ukraine, BLOOMBERG reports, citing sources.

Rubio assured this to a "group of European colleagues" during a telephone conversation on February 18, the agency writes. it took place after negotiations between Russian and American delegations in Riyadh, in which the Secretary of State participated. The State Department previously reported that he spoke with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Great Britain , as well as with the HEAD of European diplomacy Kaja Kallas. The topic of sanctions was not mentioned in the department's statement.

Rubio's promise could bring "some relief" to European allies who feared the United States would strike a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin that would benefit Moscow, Bloomberg writes.

Many of the tough sanctions imposed by the previous Biden administration were implemented in partnership with European allies. If the US were to lift the restrictions early, it would be a major blow to Europe’s efforts to “cut off the Russian war machine’s sources of income,” the agency notes.

At a press conference after the meeting in Riyadh, Rubio said that if there is a settlement, the West will have to lift the restrictions: “I would like to say that in order to end any conflict, it is necessary for all parties to make concessions.”

Keith Kellogg, special envoy of current President Donald Trump, rated sanctions against Russia as “only a C” on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of how painful they could be, noting that this opens up opportunities for tightening. Trump himself allowed for the introduction of new measures against Moscow if it does not agree to a deal on Ukraine . The Kremlin responded by saying that the American leader’s threats against Russia do not contain “new elements.” Russian authorities call the sanctions illegal, and their lifting is one of the conditions for a ceasefire that Putin voiced.

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