- Home
- World
- News
- EU's Anti-Russia Sanctions Need Discussion Rather Than Automatic Prolongation - Budapest
EU's Anti-Russia Sanctions Need Discussion Rather Than Automatic Prolongation - Budapest
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published September 22, 2018 | 10:58 AM
The European Union should frankly discuss the issue of maintaining or lifting anti-Russia sanctions rather than automatically prolong them, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in an interview with the RT broadcaster.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2018) The European Union should frankly discuss the issue of maintaining or lifting anti-Russia sanctions rather than automatically prolong them, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in an interview with the RT broadcaster.
On September 13, the European Union extended sanctions against Russian individuals and entities "over actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity" of Ukraine for another six months.
"There must be a dialogue ... there must be an honest discussion, a straightforward discussion about whether the sanctions have been successful or not and let see things factually - whether it helped the European economies, whether it helped Russian economy or whether it helped to go down with the Russian economy, whether it helped to implement the Minsk agreements and so on ... And after giving honest answers to honest questions, we should make decisions about our future," he said in the interview published on Friday.
The minister however stressed that Budapest would never make decisions that would threaten to "break the [bloc's] unity."
Szijjarto added that Rome shared Budapest's opposition to the automatic prolongation of the sanctions regime and expressed hope that the two countries could represent a unified position in the union.
"Now the current Italian government seems to represent the same position - no automatic roll-over, discussion must be made. And since they are a strong and big G7 country, it will be much easier for smaller EU member states to represent this position together with the big one," he suggested.
The European Union first introduced its restrictions against Russia in 2014 amid the eruption of the Ukraine conflict and Crimea's reunification with Russia as a result of a referendum. Russia has repeatedly denied any interference in the Ukraine crisis, saying it was not a party to the conflict. As a retaliatory move, Moscow slapped food embargo on EU states.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
ICC Womens T20 World Cup Qualifier, Match 2: Ireland Women open with Comfortable ..
Robinson, bowlers help New Zealand go 2-1 up against Pakistan
Shahzeb Chachar to hold khuli kachehri on April 26
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
Tourism must change, mayor says as Venice launches entry fee
Court adjourns Judicial Complex attack case till May 17
Nasreen Noori’s book ‘Popatan Jahra Khwab’ launched
Wafaqi Mohtasib inspection team visits Excise and taxation office
AJLAC announces 5th Conference titled ‘People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil ..
Pak-US officials engage to enhance trade, investment ties
IBCC to promote educational excellence, expand regional presence
Pakistani 'Blue Helmets' serving UN Peacekeeping Mission in DR Congo set to leav ..
More Stories From World
-
Slot 'confident' of Liverpool job as 'negotiations' take place
4 hours ago -
Google parent Alphabet's Q1 profits beat estimates: company
4 hours ago -
WADA asks 'independent prosecutor' to examine Chinese swimmers case
4 hours ago -
New York court overturns Harvey Weinstein sex crime conviction
4 hours ago -
Bagnaia and Spanish rivals chase victory at Jerez
6 hours ago -
Russian, Ukrainian strikes kill at least 10 in frontline regions
6 hours ago
-
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
6 hours ago -
Tourism must change, mayor says as Venice launches entry fee
6 hours ago -
Pakistani 'Blue Helmets' serving UN Peacekeeping Mission in DR Congo set to leave after 20 years of ..
7 hours ago -
Putin says plans to visit China in May
7 hours ago -
US reinstates open internet rules rescinded under Trump
7 hours ago -
Honda announces US$11 bn EV battery and vehicle plant in Canada
7 hours ago