Merkel calls for maintaining sanctions against Russia
The Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, stated on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Japan that G7 countries want to preserve sanctions against Russia, Finanznachrichten.de reported. “As for me, it is too early to talk about lifting or easing of sanctions,” Merkel said.
“We should do everything in our power to make progress in the political settlement in the coming weeks. There are no large-scale hostilities but there is no stable truce either,” the Chancellor of Germany stated, adding that no progress has been made in the issue of elections.
According to Merkel, G7 countries will confirm their position expressed at the Summit in Ellmau last year. Then, the leaders of G7 had condemned the annexation of Crimea and had threatened Russia with new sanctions if it continues to destabilize Ukraine. As previously reported, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, believes that sanctions against Russia will be extended because Russia hasn’t shown the necessary progress in implementation of the Minsk Agreements.