Italy FM Calls for Minsk Deal Assessment to Decide on Anti-Russia Sanctions

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — The decision to extend the EU sanctions against Moscow should be a common decision of the bloc's member states based on Russia's fulfillment of the Minsk deal, Italy's Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Monday.

On Wednesday, Italy called on the EU member states to debate the extension of the economic restrictions rather than simply "automatically" prolong them for another six months.

"Nobody is against or for sanctions, it is not a matter of principle, the decision on the rollover of sanctions should be taken according to the assessment of the Minsk protocol implementation… and I am sure that we will have a common decision," Gentiloni told reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

The European Union is expected to decide by late December whether or not to extend the economic sanctions imposed on Russia. The issue has not been included on the agenda for Monday's foreign minister meeting but is expected to be discussed later in the week, according to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

Relations between Russia and the European Union deteriorated in 2014 after Brussels and Washington accused Moscow of fueling the Ukrainian crisis. A range of sectoral sanctions were imposed on Russia's energy, banking and defense industries. Moscow has denied any involvement in the Ukrainian civil war, labeling the Western sanctions counterproductive.

Unless prolonged, the EU economic sanctions against Russia are due to expire on January 31.