MOSCOW, December 2 (Sputnik) – US President Barack Obama and European Council President Donald Tusk have agreed that sanctions against Russia cannot be lifted until the Minsk ceasefire agreements are satisfied, the White House announced Monday.
“They agreed that sanctions against Russia cannot be eased until Russia meets its commitments under the Minsk agreements, and reiterated the joint US and EU condemnation of Russia’s occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea,” a readout of the phone call of Obama to Tusk said.
“The leaders assessed what further actions may be necessary in response to Russia’s destabilizing actions in eastern Ukraine and Crimea,” the White House added.
In the phone call, Obama and Tusk also reiterated the US and EU commitment to work with international financial institutions to provide the financial support Ukraine needs “as it stabilizes its economy, implements necessary reforms, and seeks to resolve the conflict in the eastern part of the country,” the statement said.
Relations between Moscow and the West deteriorated, following Crimea's reunification with Russia in March. Accusing Moscow of interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs, the United States, the European Union and their allies introduced several rounds of sanctions, targeting Russia's banking, defense and energy sectors.
Moscow reminded that Crimea's reunification with Russia was the volition of people living in the territory and denied any involvement in the Ukrainian crisis.
The crisis in Ukraine escalated in April, when Kiev authorities launched a military operation against independence fighters in eastern Ukraine. The warring sides reached a ceasefire deal at a September 5 Contact Group meeting comprising representatives from Ukraine, the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Since then, both the Ukrainian military and the militia have repeatedly accused each other of violating the ceasefire.
