The Group of Seven (G7) discussed enacting possible additional sanctions against Russia over its alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis, US President Barack Obama said in a press conference on Monday.
G7 leaders met for a two-day summit on Sunday, to discuss topics including climate change and sanctions against Russia. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters on Tuesday that the discussion of sanctions against Russia did not dominate the conversation.
"There was discussion about additional steps that we might need to take if Russia, working through separatists, doubled down on aggression inside of Ukraine," Obama said. "Those discussions are taking place at a technical level, not yet at a political level."
The G7 leaders stated in a joint communique "that the duration of sanctions should be clearly linked to Russia’s complete implementation of the Minsk agreements and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty."
"Our hope is that we don’t have to take additional steps because the Minsk agreement is met," Obama added.
In February 2015, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany worked out the Minsk agreements to settle the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian Foreign Ministry has said the US insertion of some 300 US paratroopers to train Ukrainian soldiers in April 2015 directly violated the Minsk agreements.
