BERLIN (Sputnik) — Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that she would support an extension of economic sanctions against Russia at the EU summit this week.
16 December 2015, 11:18 GMT
Speaking in parliament on the eve of the summit, Merkel told lawmakers that the lifting of the economic restrictions on Moscow, due to expire in January, was hinged on the progress being made in the Ukrainian peace process.
"Lifting sanctions off Russia depends on the full implementation of the Minsk package [of peace agreements]," she said. "We are not there yet, so the German foreign minister and I will urge [our EU partners] to extend both the Minsk deal and the existing sanctions."
EU leaders are due to meet in Brussels on Thursday for a two-day summit. The 28-nation bloc is expected to discuss a six-month extension to the anti-Russia sanctions after Italy opposed their automatic prolongation.
