The Minister of foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin criticised the proposal of the foreign Minister of Germany Sigmar Gabriel about the gradual lifting of sanctions against Russia.
“Such signals are very harmful. Recent statements can only be viewed as flirting with the Kremlin,” — said Klimkin in an interview with the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
We will remind, Gabriel offered to remove the sanctions with Russia gradually, as the ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine and withdrawal of heavy weapons from the contact line.
“According to existing decisions of the European Union, the Minsk agreement must be fulfilled 100% before 100% to lift the sanctions (against Russia. – Ed.). I think it’s unrealistic. It would be right to lift sanctions gradually, as small changes. To show that the steps towards peace best,” said Gabriel.
Yesterday, September 6, the Committee of permanent representatives of member countries of the Council of the European Union (COREPER) approved the extension and expansion of sanctions against Russian officials, the representatives of the occupying “authorities” of the Crimea and the so-called”DNR” and “LNR”.
As you know, 13 March 2017, the Council of the European Union before 15 September 2017 has extended the sanctions of individuals and companies from Ukraine and Russia that threaten the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Note that this procedure was repeated several times.
