EU-SUMMIT/HOLLANDE France's Hollande says no need to increase sanctions as Russia is engaging

Record ID: 864057

  • Title: EU-SUMMIT/HOLLANDE France's Hollande says no need to increase sanctions as Russia is engaging
  • Date: 19th December 2014
  • Summary: JOURNALIST ON TOUCH PAD
  • Embargoed: 3rd January 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium
  • City:
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAEO9Y50U0TNY6ZI50Z640A2MDZ
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  • Story Text: French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday (December 18) there was no immediate need to raise the level of sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union for its role in the conflict in Ukraine.
    Speaking as a summit of European leaders drew to a close in Brussels, Hollande told reporters Russia is currently engaging in the process.
    "There hasn't been a decision to raise the level of sanctions because at this moment a process is once again in place. The ceasefire is respected, or more precisely, there haven't been any deaths since it was called again. But we are still a long way off, we need more progress, notably the liberation of prisoners and also the respect of the demarcation line and the withdrawal of arms," he said.
    A 12-point ceasefire protocol was worked out in Minsk in September to end the conflict between government forces and Russian-backed separatists in which over 4,700 people have been killed. But the truce was repeatedly flouted and Kiev made clear it would not carry out ensuing steps stipulated by the accord until the guns fell silent.
    Hollande said efforts by France and Germany had ensured progress in relations between Russia and Ukraine.
    "We will continue to speak with President (Vladimir) Putin and President (Petro) Poroshenko, (German Chancellor) Angela Merkel and me. That will be done in the coming days, taking account of what happens on Sunday or Monday, at the meeting of the contact group. So we want to work and we want to make progress and make progress quickly so that there is even more progress by the end of year and even more at the start of next year to reach the point where all the provisions of Minsk can be applied," he told reporters.
    The contact group includes senior representatives from Ukraine and Russia and is overseen by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
    Earlier in December, France's leader was the first head of a leading Western power to meet Putin in Russia since Moscow annexed the Crimea peninsula in March.
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