Sanctions Relief Likely Part of Russian Price for Peace Agreement

Russia will presumably demand sanctions relief as part of any peace settlement, adding economic dimensions to primarily military and territorial negotiations. Western sanctions have imposed significant costs on Russia’s economy, making their removal valuable consideration that Moscow would seek in exchange for peace terms.
Western nations implemented comprehensive sanctions following Russia’s invasion, targeting financial systems, energy exports, technology access, and individual oligarchs. These measures aimed to pressure Russia toward withdrawal while degrading its capacity for sustained warfare. The sanctions’ cumulative effect has been substantial, though not sufficient to force Russian retreat.
From Russia’s perspective, sanctions relief represents crucial objective alongside territorial gains and security arrangements. Economic recovery requires restored international trade, access to financial systems, and technology imports. Without sanctions relief, even successful territorial acquisition leaves Russia economically constrained.
However, Western nations—particularly European countries—have made sanctions continuation dependent on Russian behavior. Lifting sanctions in exchange for peace agreement would effectively reward aggression, potentially encouraging future violations of international law. This creates tension between achieving settlement and maintaining principled opposition to territorial conquest.
American negotiators preparing for Moscow talks must address sanctions relief in discussions with Vladimir Putin. The issue involves not just U.S. policy but coordination with European allies who implemented parallel measures. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner presumably discussed sanctions questions with Ukrainian officials in Florida, as Ukraine would want ensuring that sanctions relief is conditioned on Russian compliance with peace terms rather than provided upfront.