Merkel, Hollande Back Extension of Sanctions on Russia

The leaders of France and Germany, speaking two days before an EU summit to discuss the conflict in eastern Ukraine, said they want to extend sanctions against Russia due to a lack of progress in implementing a ceasefire deal.

The conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists has claimed nearly 10,000 lives since it erupted in 2014.

Germany and France have tried to convince both sides to implement a peace deal agreed in Minsk last year, but with little success so far, Reuters reported.

EU leaders will on Thursday discuss extending sanctions, which include restricting access to international financing and curbs on defense and energy cooperation with Russia.

Merkel, speaking with Hollande who was visiting a Franco-German conference on the digital economy in Berlin, said the implementation of the ceasefire deal was “very sluggish”.

“It will be necessary to extend the sanctions against Russia again, although we would have wished for better progress in the implementation of this process,” she said.

Hollande agreed. “We must continue to apply the terms of the Minsk agreement and when they are not carried out, we must continue with sanctions,” he said.