EU Sanctions Futile Attempt to Wrench Crimea Away From Russia - Austrian MP

Sanctions against Moscow will not help the European Union to prise Crimea away from Russia, a senior Austrian lawmaker told reporters Monday.

STRASBOURG (Sputnik) — The European Union and its allies imposed several rounds of sanctions on Russia in 2014 over its alleged interference in the Ukrainian crisis.

"With sanctions you will not get Crimea back," Stefan Schennach, a senior Austrian lawmaker, told reporters on the sidelines of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) summer session in Strasbourg.

At the moment, the return of Crimea, which PACE sees as being "illegally annexed by Russia," is the last issue on the agenda, while resolving the conflict in Donbass is of primary concern, he stressed.

"Crimea is the last one we have to touch," he said, urging Russia, Ukraine, the European Union to work hard during the next six months to resolve the Donbass conflict.

Crimea refused to recognize the February 2014 coup and voted in a referendum to rejoin Russia.

#Crimea's first national day celebration after the joyous reunification with Mother #Russia. Democracy done right! pic.twitter.com/IrOag2dR9S

— Varyagi (@varyagi) June 12, 2015

In April 2014, Kiev authorities launched a military operation against independence supporters in the southeast of the country, who also have refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government.