BRUSSELS. June 22 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko believes that the European Union’s decision to extend sanctions against Russia will motivate the latter to implement the Minsk agreements.
“Why is today a very important day and we should be in Brussels? Today, the European Council will hold a session, where we now know for certain a decision will be adopted to continue sanctions against Russia until the full implementation of the Minsk agreements, including its security component,” the president told journalists summing up his visit to Brussels.
The head of state stressed that the situation in Donbas had recently escalated: the OSCE SMM representatives were attacked, attacks on civilian objects became more frequent.
“The reaction of our partners from the EU is the same as that of our partners from the U.S. – sanctions will be extended,” he stressed.
The Ukrainian president added that this topic has become the focus of a number of his bilateral meetings with European leaders, which took place in Brussels on Thursday.
“I think this is the victory of the Ukrainian people, Ukrainian state, Ukrainian diplomacy. This is a strong motivation for Russia to get back to the table of negotiations and ensure the fulfillment of the security components of the Minsk agreements,” Poroshenko said.
