The gradual lifting of sanctions imposed on Russia must be linked to the process of settling the situation in the east of Ukraine, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said in an interview with the Rheinische Post.
“At the time of my being minister of foreign affairs, I thought it necessary to specifically link the gradual lifting of the sanctions with the positive steps in Ukraine—the same thing that was suggested by the then German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. And the first step would be to reach a real ceasefire in the east of Ukraine,” the chancellor said.
“In the months past there has been very little progress (in establishing truce),” the chancellor said.
The resolution passed on December 21 by the Council of the European Union for extending for another six months—until July 31, 2019—economic sanctions on Russia came into force on December 29.
These sanctions were originally imposed on July 31, 2014, for a period of one year “in response to Russia’s actions to destabilize the situation in Ukraine.” They were tightened in September 2014. On March 19, 2015, the Council of the European Union linked the duration of the sanctions with the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.
