16:56 26.02.2015

EU says reasons for anti-Russian sanctions remain

2 min read

The European Union believes there are still reasons to impose fresh sanctions on Russia but hopes the Minsk deal concluded on February 12 will be fulfilled, a European diplomat told Interfax on Thursday.

In his words, a fresh round of sanctions against Russia remains on the table although the EU would very much like the Minsk agreements to be implemented and is closely monitoring the situation on the ground.

The EU wishes the Minsk process would actually take root, the diplomat remarked.

He declined to say what new sanctions the EU might impose on Russia and suggested that EU ministers speak on that subject. The source refused to speculate on details and noted that the sanctions were a tool, which could be bigger or smaller depending on the conduct of Russia.

According to the source, the EU believes that reasons for carrying on the anti-Russian sanctions have not been done away with. As to whether the sanctions contribute to the peace settlement and the Minsk process, the EU thinks that the sanctions are a mandatory response to the 'annexation' of Crimea and destabilization in eastern Ukraine, the source said, adding that the processes which caused the sanctions were ongoing.

European Council President Donald Tusk told the European Parliament on Wednesday that the EU would not waive the possibility of stricter sanctions in the case tensions continued to escalate in eastern Ukraine.

In turn, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the statements on new sanctions were an attempt to distract attention from the fulfillment of the Minsk accords.

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