European Parliament deputy and Co-Chairwoman of EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly Rebecca Harms has said that European Union sanctions against Russia must not be weakened.

"It's one thing that has become clear to European Parliament deputies: Sanctions, which have implemented by European institutes and the European Union because of the annexation of Crimea can not be weakened, as well as our pressure [on Russia] or rethinking strategy vis a vis Crimea," Harms said on Wednesday during a briefing in Kyiv

Harms said delegates from EURONEST recently met with deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars Ilmi Umerov and Ahtem Chiygoz, who reminded delegates about political prisoners and human rights violations in Crimea.