EU ready to impose additional sanctions if Minsk II Agreements fail – Merkel

15:26, 05.03.2015 1 min read

The EU is ready to impose additional sanctions on Russia if the Minsk II Agreements aren't observed, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday.

"If Minsk [Agreements] don't work, then the [EU] member states and the European Commission are quite prepared to take tougher sanctions," she said at a press conference on the results of negotiations with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, held in Brussels on Wednesday.

Merkel said that the realization of the Minsk II Agreements is what needs to be focused on, instead of the possibility of new sanctions.

We discussed the implementation of Minsk II Agreements. We need to decide how to reinforce the OSCE mission and how we can help Ukraine finish conducting its reforms, she said.

Sanctions were discussed, but the main topic was this positive aspect. We need to put a stop to the bloodshed in eastern Ukraine by achieving a cessation of hostilities, Merkel also said.