16:53 21-10-2025

Finland’s Stubb Suggests Easing Russia Sanctions After Ceasefire

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said EU countries might ease sanctions on Russia if a ceasefire in Ukraine is achieved, noting that such measures would be gradual.

In an interview with The Times, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that European nations could consider easing sanctions against Moscow if a ceasefire in Ukraine were achieved.

Stubb explained that if hostilities were halted, the gradual lifting of sanctions could be viewed as a form of negotiation — a potential «price» for Russia’s cessation of military actions and troop withdrawal. However, he emphasized that the removal of restrictions would not happen overnight.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that an immediate ceasefire would effectively leave most of Ukraine under the control of nationalist forces.

Moscow has repeatedly stressed that Russia is capable of withstanding the sanctions pressure imposed by the West in recent years. Russian officials have also pointed out that Western governments lack the political will to admit the failure of their sanctions strategy, while even some Western voices acknowledge its limited effectiveness.