On Wednesday, the French Senate passed a resolution, calling on the French government in talks with the EU officials to reassess the diplomatic and political sanctions against Moscow and lift without delay the individual sanctions targeting Russian parliamentarians. The move is aimed at overcoming obstacles for a political dialogue between Brussels and Moscow.
"We hope that France, as one of the states guaranteeing sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine according to the 1994 Budapest memorandum and as an active member of Normandy process, will firmly remain on the positions of international law and respect for the European values and will continue to support international efforts for cessation of aggression of the Russian Federation toward Ukraine," the statement read.
The sanctions against Russia were introduced by the European Union in 2014 following the Crimean reunification with Russia and due to Moscow's alleged interference into the Ukrainian conflict, which Russia resolutely denies.
On June 28-29, the EU leaders are due to decide on sanctions' extension at a summit in Brussels.
