Merkel saw no reason to cancel anti-Russian sanctions
Moscow. 15 Dec. INTERFAX.RU German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday that the EU did not find sufficient reason to cancel anti-Russian sanctions.
“It was not sufficient progress is being made to lift the sanctions, were of one mind that we must do everything possible to advance the Minsk process,” she told reporters after the first day of the ongoing EU summit.
While Merkel acknowledged that “managed to avoid further escalation” in the situation in the East of Ukraine.
Previously on the extension of European sanctions against Russia, said Chairman of the European Council Donald Tusk. “The EU agreed to extend economic sanctions against Russia,” — he wrote in his Twitter.
A source in the EU Council told Interfax that the extension of restrictive measures envisaged for six months, and it will include the currently existing sectoral sanctions without additions.
A diplomatic source in the EU institutions announced on Thursday evening by “Interfax”, the official extension of sanctions by the EU Council “in the coming days will be almost technical”. “No more discussions are expected. Member States formally approved an act”, — explained the Agency interlocutor.