Austria Opposes Immediate Extension of Anti-Russia Sanctions - FM

Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said it is unnecessary to impose new sanctions against Russia at the moment.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – Austria does not support the immediate extension of economic sanctions against Russia but should depend on the situation in Ukraine, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said Monday.

European leaders are expected to discuss policy toward Russia and possible anti-Russia sanctions' extension at a summit on March 19 and 20.

“I believe that it’s unnecessary to make a decision now. The sanctions are in force until summer so there is plenty of time for a decision,” Kurz told journalists in response to a question of whether the European Union should decide now on extending sanctions against Russia before the end of July when the current ones expire.

According to Kurz, the decision to extend or not extend the current economic sanctions “should depend on how the situation in Ukraine develops.”

The European Union has implemented several rounds of economic sanctions against Russia following Crimea's reunification with Russia last March.

The bloc, alongside the United States and several other Western nations, has also accused Moscow of meddling in Ukraine's  affairs and fueling the internal crisis in the country. Russia has repeatedly denied the allegations and retaliated with an embargo on food products from the European Union.

Austria is among a number of European nations who have spoken of the negative impact the Russian food ban could have on their economies.