The EU foreign ministers adopted on Thursday a decision to keep in force the existing restrictions targeting individuals and entities allegedly involved in the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis until September 2015, but stopped short of imposing new sanctions.
"We are against the introduction of new sanctions at present," the minister said.
The Greek delegation stated at the meeting that the phrase stipulating introduction of new sanctions against Russia should be removed, otherwise the work will not move forward, Kotzias stressed.
In spring 2014, the Unites States, the European Union and their allies accused Russia of meddling in the Ukrainian conflict, including the provision of military assistance to independence supporters in the region. Self-proclaimed republics were declared by locals who refused to recognize the legitimacy of the new government in Kiev.
Since March 2014, the West has imposed several rounds of sanctions against Moscow, targeting not only high-ranking individuals, but also Russia's banking, energy and defense sectors.
Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in Ukraine's internal crisis and called the language of the sanctions counterproductive.
