Merkel: Sanctions on Russia Will Only Be Lifted After Minsk Agreement Implementation

Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, stated on Thursday that the European Union sanctions against Russia imposed in relation to Ukraine will only be lifted when the Minsk agreement is fully implemented. This agreement was signed last September between the Ukrainian government and the separatist rebels in the country. According to Reuters, Merkel, who was attending a press conference in Berlin alongside Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, expressed that she does not expect other EU sanctions against Russia related to Crimea to be lifted. She added that the lifting of these sanctions is contingent upon the return of Crimea to Ukraine. The German Chancellor remarked, 'I do not have high hopes for this. Other sanctions were imposed in response to Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine. Full commitment to the Minsk agreement is the way to lift sanctions. Before we say these sanctions will be lifted, the entire Minsk agreement must be implemented.' Merkel also noted that Arseniy Yatsenyuk has proposed a suitable plan for implementing reforms. She mentioned that a proposed meeting between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany at the end of January in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, will be confirmed in the coming days. The Associated Press also reported from Berlin that major powers are set to meet in Kazakhstan to resolve the Ukraine crisis. However, the certainty of this meeting remains unclear. Merkel stated on Thursday, January 8, that even if this meeting occurs, the Ukraine crisis will not be resolved overnight. Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine, had mentioned in late December that he intends to meet with the leaders of Germany, Russia, and France in Kazakhstan's capital at the end of January 2015. However, German and other officials have not yet confirmed this meeting. After meeting with the Ukrainian Prime Minister in Berlin, Merkel stated that the foreign ministers of the four countries are working on a 'possible meeting in Astana,' but discussions must take place in the coming days for this meeting to be confirmed. Merkel did not specify the date of this meeting. Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of Kazakhstan, is scheduled to visit Germany on Friday. Diplomatic efforts to fully implement the Minsk peace agreement have been strengthened. Merkel emphasized the need to implement all points of this agreement, stating, 'The meeting (of leaders in) Astana will not lead to the implementation of all these points the day after. What we can do is to outline tangible progress and a reliable roadmap for implementing other points. What is difficult is that often the roadmaps we have outlined have not been adhered to.' Meanwhile, Andriy Yatsenyuk stated that the Minsk ceasefire agreement is enforceable and that the most important priority is to close the Ukraine-Russia border. He urged the West to continue applying pressure on Russia to implement this agreement, stating, 'Moscow is currently making significant efforts to create divisions among EU members, but it will not succeed.'