French Foreign Ministry 'Takes Note' of Vote Against Anti-Russia Sanctions

The French Foreign Ministry has "taken note" of the country’s lower house voting on the resolution calling to lift the anti-Russia sanctions that took place on Thursday, spokesman Romain Nadal said.

PARIS (Sputnik) – Earlier in the day, 55 lawmakers of the National Assembly voted in favor of a resolution which calls on the French government to oppose the extension of anti-Russia sanctions. As many as 44 parliamentarians voted against the measure.

"We have taken note of the National Assembly adopting a resolution calling on the government to abolish the restrictive measures taken by the European Union against Russia," Nadal told a briefing adding that the lifting of the EU sanctions was tied to implementation of the Minsk agreements on Ukrainian reconciliation.

Relations between Russia and the European Union member states, including France, went downhill in 2014, when Brussels joined Washington in accusing Moscow of fueling the Ukrainian crisis and imposed several rounds of sanctions as a punitive measure.

The Russian authorities have refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive and taking restrictive economic measures in response.

The EU leaders summit is scheduled for June 28-29. Extending the EU economic sanctions against Russia, which are due to expire in July, is likely to be on the summit's agenda.