OREANDA-NEWS The head of the European Council, Antonio Costa, said that he intends to call for continued sanctions pressure on Russia at the summit of a number of EU and Canadian leaders on Ukraine on Thursday in Paris.

"The best way to support Ukraine is to remain consistent in our goal: to achieve a just and lasting peace. This means continuing to put pressure on Russia through sanctions. I will deliver this message at today's leaders' meeting on peace and security for Ukraine, organized by President Emmanuel Macron in Paris," he wrote on the X network.

Earlier, the official representative of the EU Foreign Policy service, Anitta Hipper, told RIa Novosti that the EU, against the background of negotiations on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia and discussions on lifting sanctions, intends only to increase sanctions pressure on Russia. According to her, "the unconditional withdrawal of all Russian military forces from the entire territory of Ukraine" may become one of the main prerequisites for changing or lifting sanctions. Hipper also stressed that the EU's goal "remains to support Ukraine in achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace."

Closed expert consultations between the Russian Federation and the United States were held in Riyadh this week. Separately, the U.S. delegation also held meetings with representatives of Kiev.

The Kremlin responded to a question about the outcome of negotiations with the United States in Riyadh.