EU could de-escalate sanctions if Russia shifts on Ukraine: France
Iran Press TV
Thu Dec 18, 2014 5:33PM GMT
France says the European Union (EU) could "de-escalate" sanctions against Russia if Moscow alters its stance on the crisis in Ukraine.
'I consider that if today Russia sends the signals we expect, then there is no need for new sanctions,' French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday upon his arrival for an EU summit in Brussels, adding that 'On the contrary, it would be for us to think about how we too could begin a de-escalation.'
The EU leaders are now in Brussels for a two-day summit to address two major challenges facing the bloc, namely the eurzone's sluggish economic growth and the growing influence of Russia in the region.
The West accuses Moscow of supporting pro-Russia forces in east Ukraine, saying the Russian intervention poses a security threat to Ukraine and all other neighboring states. Russia has strongly denied the allegations.
The two mainly Russian-speaking regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine have been the scene of deadly clashes between pro-Russia protesters and the Ukrainian army since Kiev's military operation started in mid-April in a bid to crush the protests.
Violence intensified in May after the two flashpoint regions held local referendums in which their residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Ukraine and joining the Russian Federation.
According to reports, around 4,300 people have lost their lives in the deadly conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Kiev and pro-Russia forces recently agreed to stop fighting under the terms of a Kremlin-brokered ceasefire.
FNR/HMV/SS
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