MOSCOW, November 25 (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova — Europe is likely to lift anti-Russia sanctions if Moscow respects the Minsk agreements, the chairman of the European People's Party told Sputnik in an interview Tuesday.
"[The]Sanctions regime is a disaster for Europe and probably will have some impact on Russia as well," Luka Volonte, who is also the president of the Novae Terrae foundation told Sputnik.
"Europe more likely will lift sanctions against Russia if Moscow respects Minsk agreement's terms," the politician added.
Volonte emphasized that in order to move towards the normalization of relations between Russia and the EU, "both sides need to make concessions."
"On one side, Russia needs to respect all conditions of the Minsk agreement, on the other side, we need to convince the EU institutions that the sanctions that were imposed by Washington, Obama in particularly, serve US interests," he explained adding that "the vast majority of the EU political parties and ordinary citizens want Europe to become an independent continent with the independent foreign policy and economic affairs."
The Italian politician believes that the United States along with their allies in Europe will continue to use the Minsk agreement card to justify their position on the sanctions regime. "By respecting its terms, Russia has a good chance to show everyone that this excuse is no longer valid," he concluded.
The European Union, following the US lead, introduced several rounds of sanctions against Russia in retaliation to what it described as Moscow's aggressive policy in Ukraine. The move comes despite Russia's repeated denial of any involvement in escalating tensions in the country.
Russia has been advocating a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis, being also a party to the breakthrough meeting in Minsk that resulted in the establishment of ceasefire in the volatile eastern regions of Ukraine on September 5.
