Paris: European leaders at a high-level summit in Paris have agreed that sanctions against Russia must remain in place and even be strengthened until Moscow halts its war against Ukraine, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday.

"There was complete clarity that now is not the time for the lifting of sanctions. Quite the contrary—what we discussed is how we can increase sanctions to support the US initiative and apply further pressure on Russia," Starmer stated, speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky reaffirmed that Russia currently has no interest in peace, saying, "Everybody understood and understands that today Russia does not want any kind of peace."

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in a separate briefing, echoed the sentiment, calling any move to lift sanctions a “grave mistake”. He emphasized that sanctions must remain as long as there is no peace in Ukraine.

“It makes no sense to end the sanctions as long as peace has not actually been achieved, and unfortunately, we are still a long way from that,” Scholz said.

Zelensky stressed the need for further pressure on Russia, stating, "No lifting of any kind of sanctions until Russia stops this war. Instead, there should be more pressure, with additional sanction packages."

Starmer reiterated the UK's commitment to Ukraine, vowing full support “for as long as it takes”. He accused Russia of delaying peace efforts and emphasized the importance of “peace through strength.”

The leaders also discussed plans to bolster Ukraine’s security post-ceasefire, with Starmer noting that efforts were underway to form a “coalition of the willing” to ensure long-term stability.

“We discussed the military and operational plans—whether on air, land, or sea— to reassure peace in the region,” he said.

Zelensky added that work on security guarantees for Ukraine would continue in the coming days and weeks.