EU to Lift Anti-Russia Sanctions Only After Minsk Accords Fulfilment

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The European Union should only lift its anti-Russia sanctions when the Minsk agreements are fully complied with, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Thursday.

"Good discussion w #Ukraine FM @PavloKlimkin. Until #Russia complies w #Minsk in full, EU must stay firm on sanctions," Hammond said on Twitter after his meeting with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.

On Thursday, Hammond arrived in Kiev for an official visit. Aside from Klimkin, the British Foreign Secretary is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk

On Tuesday, spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Yevhen Perebiynis, said that during Hammond's visit to Kiev the sides will discuss bilateral relations and the current situation in eastern Ukraine.

Since Kiev launched its military operation in southeastern Ukraine in April, 2014, Ukraine and the European Union have repeatedly accused Russia of meddling in Ukraine's internal affairs and aiding the independence supporters in Donbas. The European Union, the United States and several other countries imposed sanctions on Moscow amid the accusations.

Russia has firmly denied any involvement in Ukraine's internal conflict, calling for inter-Ukrainian dialogue and deeming sanctions counterproductive.

At the Normandy Format talks between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany on February 12, the sides came up with a set of measures to facilitate Ukrainian reconciliation. A number of European countries said that the implementation of the new Minsk agreement will be crucial in defining the sanctions policy toward Russia.