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Western leaders extend sanctions on Moscow over Ukraine crisis

Sunday, 22 November 2015 2:24 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 22 November 2015 2:24 AM ]

The US President Barack Obama gestures during a press conference following the G20 summit in Antalya on November 16, 2015. (AFP)

Western leaders have agreed to extend sanctions against Moscow by six more months over the crisis in Ukraine.

During a brief meeting on the sidelines of the week-long G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey, the leaders of US, Germany, Italy, the UK and French foreign minister Laurent Fabius, who represented President Francois Hollande at the summit, concluded to uphold pressure on Russia until July next year, ahead of elections in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed senior European diplomat.

The current round of sanctions is due to end in January, before full implementation of the so-called Minsk peace deal, which intends to resolve the standoff between Kiev and pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.

“The elections in Ukraine are heavy lifting. We only have a chance to get what we want if we play the sanctions card. Financial sanctions need to stay in place until the bitter end," the diplomat further said.

The Minsk peace agreement introduced measures such as a ceasefire, the pullout of heavy weapons and constitutional reforms in Ukraine by the end of the year, however, the Ukrainian army has reportedly violated the deal several times by shelling the pro-Russians’ territories.

The US and the European Union have imposed several sets of economic sanctions against Russia over the conflict since early 2014. Moscow denies any involvement, saying the sanctions will not change its stance on its neighbor.

The decision to extend the current sanctions was made in the conclusion of the summit despite increasing calls to cooperate more closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the fight against the Daesh group, following the Takfiri terrorists' deadly attacks in Paris on November 13.

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