You're reading: Reuters: France’s Fillon says Russia sanctions pointless, dialogue needed

Reuters: France’s Fillon says Russia sanctions pointless, dialogue needed

Published Jan. 23, 2017 at 4:34 pm

Les Republicains (LR) party candidate for the French 2017 presidential election, Francois Fillon, arrives to give a press statement at Hotel de Rome in Berlin on Jan. 23, 2017.

Photo by AFP

European Union sanctions on Russia are pointless, the frontrunner in France’s presidential election Francois Fillon said on Jan. 23 during a visit to Berlin, warning of a risk that Russia and the United States forge links that exclude the EU.

Fillon said a gesture from Russia would be needed before sanctions could be lifted, adding that Ukraine was also not doing what it needed to do to ensure peace.