On Wednesday, Italy demanded that EU nations debate the extension of the economic sanctions, imposed on Moscow in 2014 and expiring in January, rather than automatically prolonging them for another six months.
"I hope this initiative of Italy will give a push to other EU countries to start negotiations on how and when to revoke sanctions against Russia," Claudio D'Amico, of Italy’s right-wing Lega Nord party, said.
"Italy just wanted to initiate the consultations. It waits for another member-state to move the process forward," he said, adding that the nation’s economy has suffered enough due to the curbs on trade with Russia.
Relations between Russia and the European Union soured in 2014 after Brussels joined Washington in accusing Moscow of fueling the Ukrainian crisis and imposed economic sanctions on the Russian energy, banking and defense industries. Moscow has repeatedly denied the allegations.
