EU Must Lift Anti-Russia Sanctions if Minsk Measures Implemented - Experts

© AP Photo / BelTA, Andrei StasevichNormandy format talks
Normandy format talks - Sputnik International
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Experts consider that there is no ground for further sanctions on Russia over the Ukrainian crisis if the Minsk agreements are implemented.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is unhappy that Ukraine’s NATO bid was not discussed during the Minsk talks in “Normandy Format”. - Sputnik International
Ukraine's NATO Bid Was Not Discussed in Minsk - Poroshenko
MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov — The European Union should lift the sanctions it imposed on Russia over the Ukrainian crisis if the measures agreed in Minsk are implemented, experts told Sputnik on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande met in the Belarusian capital of Minsk for almost 15 hours, and agreed on a package of measures to end the eastern Ukrainian conflict.

Should these measures be implemented — an unconditional ceasefire, constitutional reform by Kiev with a focus on Ukraine's decentralization, withdrawal of all foreign armed groups, equipment and mercenaries from eastern Ukraine — the EU sanctions currently in place against Russia would become redundant.

No Grounds for Sanctions

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry listens to a speech of German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on the podium during the 51. Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015 - Sputnik International
US to Roll Back Anti-Russian Sanctions Once Minsk Agreements Implemented
Arkady Moshes, Programme Director at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told Sputnik that "over time, they [EU countries] can [lift the sanctions]. They were introduced as a guarantee of the Minsk agreements' implementation. If all conditions are met, the EU will have no reason" to maintain the sanctions regime.

"If they don't, then what is the incentive for Russia to also engage in the peace process? It would be enormously poor form if they don't [remove the sanctions]," warned Richard Sakwa, associate fellow of the Russia and Eurasia programme at Chatham House.

The need for the European Union to clarify its position on removal of the sanctions has come into focus, especially since the US Department of State Secretary John Kerry, whose country is currently considering supplying lethal weapons to the Ukrainian army, officially stated on Thursday that the United States is "prepared to consider rolling back sanctions on Russia when the Minsk agreements of September 2014, and now this agreement, are fully implemented."

The snag, however, is that full implementation of these measures is a hard thing to achieve in the short-term, experts say.

Minsk-2 as Beginning

White house - Sputnik International
US Calls on All Parties to Implement Minsk Agreement Fully - White House
Not overlooking the unquestionably positive result of the February talks in Minsk, also called Minsk-2 to differentiate them from the Minsk-1 talks held in September 2014, an absolute solution to the crisis has not yet been achieved.

"Minsk-2 offers the perspective not of peace immediately, but of what we would call a peace process," Sakwa told Sputnik.

Arkady Moshes said he expresses "cautious hope, not optimism but hope. This agreement reflects the understanding of the parties of the futility of hostilities' continuation."

This understanding, however, does not necessarily mean the immediate implementation of the Minsk measures. "Implementation of this agreement is not guaranteed for any of the points," the expert added, pointing to the fact that even the start of the ceasefire is scheduled for February 15, meaning the warring parties have the opportunity to fight for two more days.

As for the other obstacles to the immediate implementation of the Minsk measures, Moshes classifies them as being mostly in the "political sphere."

The expert from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs said there is no guarantee that independence supporters in the east of Ukraine would come to a consensus with Kiev on changes to the country's Constitution.

Yet another obstacle to the smooth implementation is the fact "that there's a war party dominating in Kiev," Richard Sakwa told Sputnik. According to the expert, the "war party" makes it hard "to focus on peace."

Despite these stumbling blocks, it is hoped that sooner or later the measures outlined in the Minsk agreement will be implemented. If this is achieved, Moscow will be waiting for a prompt reaction from the EU in the form of a sanctions' lifting.

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