Finland Criticizes EC President Tusk's Call to Keep Sanctions on Russia

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja criticized a call by the President of the European Council Donald Tusk to keep sanctions on Russia as they are “not conducive to the unity and the ability of the EU to co-coordinated actions."

In an interview with The Guardian and five other European newspapers on Monday Donald Tusk said that easing the sanctions on Moscow would mean that the EU was ceding political ground to the Kremlin.

Donald Tusk will press EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, to decide this week that sanctions will not be lifted until the Minsk agreements are fulfilled and Ukraine regains control over its eastern border, a senior EU official said.

Tuomioja said that Tusk’s approach did not contribute to EU unity and coherent actions, the Yle broadcaster reported Monday.