EU to Ease Sanctions if Moscow Continues Aiding Ukraine Peace – Official

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The European Union (EU) member states are ready to ease or lift the sanctions imposed on Russia when they will have proof that Moscow is doing everything it can to help the case of Ukrainian reconciliation, the European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union has said.

“We are ready to ease or completely lift these sanctions [the EU has imposed against Russia] when we will have enough credible evidence that Russian Federation is sincerely doing everything for the conflict in Ukraine to be resolved in a peaceful manner,” Maros Sefcovic said on Slovak TV Sunday night.

Sefcovic has referred to the ceasefire that came in force in Donbas on February 15, as was agreed at a Minsk meeting between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France, as “extremely fragile.” The politician added that if the truce in the region fails to last, “we may witness a large-scale [military] conflict.”

According to Sefcovic, it were Ukraine’s calls for its allies to provide it with weaponry that have prevented the huge conflict in the region. However, he believes that the West should not send any weapons to Kiev. “If we will begin doing so [arming Kiev], the other side will respond with similar measures,” Sefcovic warned.

Since last spring, the European Union, the United States and their allies have imposed several rounds of sanctions against Moscow over its alleged interference in the internal Ukrainian conflict. Russia denied these accusation and acted as an active mediator in Ukraine reconciliation talks, the most recent of which have resulted in the current truce.