Rubio and Callas agreed to "continue maximum pressure" on Russia

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the head of Diplomacy EU Kaya Kallas during a telephone conversation agreed to "continue to exert maximum pressure" on Russia to achieve peace in the Ukraine, Bloomberg writes, citing a source.

The topics of conversation also included strengthening cooperation between Washington and Brussels, common foreign policy priorities, as well as problems that arise from China.

Rubio said in mid-January that sanctions and their lifting could play an important role in negotiations to end the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and now serve as a lever beyond military capabilities.

"It is very difficult to reach an agreement or an agreement that starts with a ceasefire and ends with a peace agreement, unless both sides have leverage," he explained.

Callas also explained that the restrictions are not planned to be lifted until the conflict is resolved. "Whatever the negotiations, we will be in a much weaker position" with the early lifting of restrictions, she is sure.

The Russian side demands the lifting of Western sanctions, considers them ineffective and illegitimate. The Kremlin stressed that the measures would not have an impact on Russia's policy, but would hit the very initiators of the restrictions.

US President Donald Trump has threatened Russia with tougher sanctions if the deal is abandoned. The Kremlin responded by saying that it was following all the statements, but did not see anything new in Trump's words, RBC reminds.