Schetyna backs EU sanctions extension against Russia
PR dla Zagranicy
Jo Harper
22.06.2015 13:23
Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna has come out in support of an EU decision to extend its sanctions against Russia for another six months.
Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: PAP
The EU imposed sanctions against Russia on 1 August, 2014, and tightened them in September.
The sanctions extension now will now run until 31 January, 2016 to ensure the Minsk agreement is implemented, an EU spokesperson said.
They include restrictions on lending to major Russian state-owned banks, and defense and oil companies. Brussels also imposed restrictions on the supply of weapons and military equipment to Russia as well as military technology, dual-use technologies, high-tech equipment and technologies for oil production.
Schetyna speaking to reporters in Luxembourg said the extension had not been a given until very recently. “But this is the only language Russia understands…Russia has helped all EU countries make the decision in a very determined and unambiguous way,” he added.
The EU needs to check at every step Putin's readiness to implement the Minsk Agreement and that “further steps are dependent on this,” Schetyna said. (jh)