EU says ‘unconditional withdrawal’ of Russia from Ukraine is a precondition to amend sanctions

The withdrawal of all Russian forces from Ukraine would be one of the main conditions to lift or amend EU sanctions, a European Commission spokesperson said on Wednesday.

European Union countries renewed the bloc’s two sanctions frameworks on Russia for another six months at the end of January and earlier this month. Any changes to sanctions require unanimity among its 27 member states.

“The end of the Russian unprovoked and unjustified aggression in Ukraine and unconditional withdrawal of all Russian military forces from the entire territory of Ukraine would be one of the main preconditions to amend or lift sanctions,” the spokesperson said.

No Jumper, we can’t “agree to disagree” — what I said about the political and social feelings towards Russia in Central Europe is based on my experience living here in Poland since 2010 and visiting and working with many people from Finland to Romania.

The universal opinion in the former Eastern bloc is that:
1. They were not “liberated” by the Russians, rather one imperium (the German) was replaced by another (The Russian) - this is borne out by the fact that Russia forcibly replaced governments in Central Europe, that Russia forcibly had Russian imposed as an imperial second language (which most people seem to have hated - even though they voice the opinion that it is a nice language, but stained by association with Muscowy’s imperialist mindset)

2. They don’t hate the Russian PEOPLE per se (not even the Ukrainians until about 2023), but felt pity for them as fellow sufferers, but now that is added with disgust that the Russians don’t see the suffering that their government is visiting on supposedly “brother nations”

3. They hate the Russian governments - whether Tsarist or Soviet or Putin. Yeltsin oversaw a thaw and many countries felt that Russia was becoming less a threat. That ended with Putin in 1999.

4. Putin since 2000 has been highlighting Russia’s imperialist past - whether Tsarist or Soviet - to state that countries like the BAltics, Belarus and Ukraine have no right to be separate from Russia, and that the rest of the Eastern Bloc states are really not important (ignoring the fact that until Tsarina Ekaterina it was the reverse.

5. Every single one of the Central European and Baltic states see’s Muscowy as an existential threat. This is true for Hungary and Slovakia as well - Orban and Fisz use Putin’s gas and use him as a stick to get their way, but they still see him as an existential threat

Now to your point “Russia will simply crush Kiev and stop at the border of Poland.”

That is not true:
1. Muscowy has not been able to crush Kyiv, not for 3 years. Remember that even back in Feb-March 2022, when Ukraine stood pretty much alone as everyone was trying to make sense of this invasion (which no one really expected) - and everyone (me included) thought that Ukraine wouldn’t last 2 weeks —> Ukraine pushed Moscow back from holding 30% of Ukraine and at the doorstep of Kyiv, back to holding about 19% of Ukraine (including the 10% it already held since 2014)

2. If by some means Moscow conquers all of Ukraine, Putin will not stop at the border of Poland: He wants Moldova and the Baltics back. And he will want Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary as vassal states.

No Jumper, we can't "agree to disagree" -- what I said about the political and social feelings towards China in India is based on my interactions with India - I was in there for half a year around 2003 and then have been on and off there on business and travel and have many associates there, plus you can read Indian newspapers to gauge the feeling.

India's government and people do not trust Communist China - they despise it as a stabber in the back.

To understand that you need to go back in history - for millenia, India and China were civilizations in parallel, with some contacts, but not much as they were separated by the Himalayas, by the Tibetan plateau and by Central Asia and South-east Asia.

India's cultural sphere after 300 BC spread to Central Asia, then to Tibet, Uyguristan, and at the same time to South-East Asia. That's why there are Buddhist monasteries and Sanskrit scripture in the Tarim basin

That is why the previous capital of Thailand was Ayyuthayya, named after Ayodhya, the capital of the Hindu god Ram, and Indonesia's national epic is the Ramayana, and Cambodia has the world's largest Hindu temple - all of these were part of the Indosphere

China learnt a lot from India starting with the Han dynasty when Buddhist monks started coming from India via Central Asia, while at the same time the Han dynasty was conquering the Tarim basin

Good relations until the Chinese communist party conquered Tibet in 1959 - initially India was naive and fell for the Chinese "India-China, brothers" slogan until 1962 when the Chinese invaded India and grabbed large chunks of Indian territory

Since then China has allied heavily with Pakistan, enabling Pakistan to attack India

even more stinging to India is that China continuously at every internal meeting always looks to push India down

You have failed to understand the effects of Globalization on the world not aligned with the West. China and India have better relations than you want to believe. Everything you believe could have been written by the Op Ed in EUro Newspaper. The Globalists have shat their welcome with LGBT and the rest of the Corrupt Clinton-Obama-Biden world antics.

Brics is not yet on Trump’s active radar. He is going to spend the entire summer hashing out the US budget and foreign trade which will then be the basis of the USG budget calculations.

The Chinese are now forced, in Trump world, to work their butt’s off engaging all their neighbors and trade partners for better results.

Trump’s rapid US-Russian reapproachment will kill Lloyds of London when they begin joint venturs in the Artic. My guess is that the US may one day underwrite the US Russian Shadow Fleet Insurance.

Your Polish Government has some seriously deranged anti-Russian and anti-Trump people. They are steering your home and those like them, Starmer, Macron, Mertz/Germany in the wrong direction hoping to wait out Trump; Trump has changed the trajactory of the world.

Macron is delusional thinking he can be the EU diplomat to Putin and Russia; Putin loathes Macron. Macron has done that classic French anti-American move to scream divest of America which will end any kindness Trump has had for him over the past 8 years; the Trump-Macron relationship is dying.

Starmer and his EU Govt are not engaged on any issue except JD Vance’s comments on Abortion and Freedom of Speech, plus Ukraine - Starmer is not leading the home govt nor engaging with world leaders. He wants Brits in Ukraine and he is going to fail the Brit’s massively.

Germany has no plan going forward. Politically they are no different from the French or Brits who arrest political opposition (Trump will reward them for their Bidenesqe antics having survived them collectively); Germany will have to get it’s political house in order which will take 8-10 years as coalations cloud the death of the Globalists. Without energy from Russia, Germany will waste away.

The recession has been coming for 18-months. The mini-trade war has two aims. The first is the basis of the USG budget and to align the US tax system in trade with what the world is currently doing - such a novel idea it has freaked out the world over FAIR Trade reciepts. The second is the correct application by Trump will remove world leaders - in the EU, and Xi in China, even in Turkey; all on the chopping block. All these countries have political systems that are immovable and allow coalations to keep a popular shift from occuring so by the time the US has moved from Globalization to Spheres of Infuence/Diplomatic and Trade Relations these countries will be into JD Vance’s second term before they catch up and mend their relations with the US.

Ukraine was the Great Western Trap; the US has destroyed the EU as a competitive bloc and is slaying China as we speak; Trump is more interested with India and Russia than leaders who screwed him with the Deep State/DNC in the past. The political price for the Russian Hoax will be long lingering in the EU where major players reside in office.

Poland is going to see the US draw down their presence. It is already happening. Trump does not need to point missiles at Russia from the Balkins. We are in Day 2 of Russian-US normalization. The benefits to EU are evident but the EU will continue to wage war against what they frame is Trump Monster to wait out, and Evil Invader Val the Putin, all of which will not serve them or their people well - the Globalists fan these fears just as they begin to lose control.

Ms. Clinton, Obama, Bush, Biden and MI6, Ukraine, France, Poland and many other players work to damage Trump in his first presidency and throughout Biden’s stolen term; the lawfare is still being used throughout the EU. You mentioned Romania - another locked up leader. The EU has become power crazed facists, if only you could see it from afar. You have supported a Nazi regime in Kiev. Maybe the US has a sense of humor about these things as it is evident part of Project Ukraine was to destroy the competition from the EU with the US and mission accomplished. Russia survived and now Trump will make nice with a country that caught Globalist Sh*t the same as himself.

You are working in a EU Globalist Bubble and the news you get is from the same Kings and Queens of old hiding behind socialism and prime ministers to keep the people serfs. No cares about the little people in the EU - look at immigration and now Pensison snatching is all the rage.

Time for the EU to get on the Trump train. No one is getting rid of Trump or hamstringing him in term two. He has prepared all too well for that and in fact has moved so fast heads continue to spin - his government appointees are uncovering criminal activity of the US ruling class and it will begin with appointees prosecuted and then elected scum themselves.

I totally disagree with the EU Countries Op Ed pages. They are designed to keep the surgs outside the moats.

“China and India have better relations than you want to believe.”
I’ve been to India numerous times and know and work with people there - do you?

China and India do not have “better relations” - did you know that India has more restrictions on Chinese goods and services than most of the west?

India has implemented a range of restrictions on Chinese products and services in recent years, driven by geopolitical tensions, national security concerns, and a push for self-reliance under initiatives like “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliant India). These measures span trade barriers, investment scrutiny, and bans on digital services, though they are not framed as an outright blanket ban on all Chinese goods or services. Below is an overview of the key restrictions based on available information:

1. Trade Restrictions and Anti-Dumping Duties
India has imposed anti-dumping duties and other trade barriers to curb the influx of Chinese products perceived as unfairly priced or harmful to domestic industries:

- Anti-Dumping Duties: India has levied duties on various Chinese goods to protect local manufacturers. For instance, in March 2025, duties were imposed on five products, including vacuum insulated flasks, aluminium foil, and chemicals like Trichloro Isocyanuric Acid, for up to five years. Earlier examples include duties on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and solar equipment, addressing concerns about dumping—selling goods below market value.
- Import Licensing and Quality Standards: In 2020, India introduced licensing requirements for imports like laptops, tablets, and personal computers, partially deferred after industry pushback but aimed at reducing reliance on Chinese electronics (over half of India’s $10 billion annual imports in this category are from China). Quality control orders have also been used, such as mandating standards for toys and solar products to limit substandard Chinese imports.
Public Procurement Restrictions: In 2020, India amended rules to require sellers on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal to declare the country of origin for goods, a move widely interpreted as targeting Chinese products. A “Make in India” filter prioritizes goods with at least 50% local content, sidelining Chinese suppliers for government purchases.

2. Investment Scrutiny
India has tightened controls on Chinese investments to prevent opportunistic takeovers and address security risks:

- FDI Policy Change (2020): Following the Galwan Valley clash, India mandated prior government approval for investments from countries sharing land borders (effectively targeting China). This has stalled billions in proposed Chinese investments, including a $1 billion electric vehicle plant by BYD and a $1 billion project by Great Wall Motor.
- Visa Restrictions: Stricter visa rules for Chinese technicians and engineers have slowed manufacturing projects reliant on Chinese expertise, though recent relaxations (2024) aim to balance industry needs.

3. Digital and Technology Restrictions
India has taken significant steps to limit Chinese influence in its digital and telecom sectors:
-
App Bans: Starting in June 2020, India banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, WeChat, and UC Browser, citing threats to sovereignty and security. This expanded to over 250 apps by mid-2020, targeting those with Chinese ownership or data privacy risks.
- Telecom Equipment: In 2022, India’s Telecom Department amended license agreements to exclude equipment from “non-trusted sources,” effectively barring Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE from 5G trials and network deployments.
- Power Equipment: A de facto ban exists on importing Chinese power equipment due to cybersecurity threats, with the Power Ministry pushing for domestic alternatives despite higher costs.

4. Public Sector and Infrastructure Projects
Chinese companies face exclusion from government contracts and infrastructure:

- Procurement Bans: A 2020 order restricts bidders from countries sharing land borders (i.e., China) from participating in public procurement unless registered with a special committee and cleared for security, affecting railways, roads, and telecom projects. For example, Chinese firms were excluded from a $112 million railway tender in 2020.
- Smart Cities and Bicycles: Policies favor Indian-made goods, such as bicycles for Smart City programs, over cheaper Chinese alternatives.

5. Sector-Specific Measures
Certain industries have tailored restrictions:

Solar Industry: With 84% of solar imports from China, India has pushed anti-dumping duties and quality standards to bolster domestic production, though full exclusion remains impractical.
- Pharmaceuticals: While reliant on China for 70% of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), India promotes bulk drug parks and production-linked incentives (PLI) to reduce dependence gradually.
- Firecrackers: Imports of Chinese firecrackers containing banned chemicals like potassium chlorate have been prohibited due to safety concerns.

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