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Foreign Ministry: EU showed weakness again by extending anti-Russian sanctions

The EU leaders agreed on Thursday to extend the anti-Russian economic sanctions until July 31, 2017

The Russian Foreign Ministry Gennady Khamelianin/TASS

The Russian Foreign Ministry

© Gennady Khamelianin/TASS

MOSCOW, December 16. /TASS/. The European Union has again demonstrated its weakness by deciding to extend anti-Russian sanctions contrary to the interests of its member states, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

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"The European Union has again showed its weakness and inability to recognize the obvious: it is absurd to link the restrictions with Moscow’s fulfillment of the Minsk accords," the ministry said in a comment.

"Precisely Russia is playing a constructive role in the Normandy format negotiations. No doubt, the anti-Russian restrictions have become a goal in itself for the EU, which wants in the absence of other worthy examples to demonstrate in every way its notorious unity at least in this sphere," the ministry said.

As the Russian Foreign Ministry said, "’the European Union’s reaction to the current swift changes in the international situation is characterized by inconsistency and the contradictory nature."

"Literally a couple of days ago, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Federica Mogherini spoke about the possibility of interaction with Russia on a number of issues of the international agenda where the positions of Moscow and Brussels, according to her, can differ from the US approaches," the ministry said.

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Kremlin comments on Merkel, Hollande offer to extend sanctions against Russia

"However, yesterday, following the European Council meeting, [European Council Chairman] Donald Tusk stated that the EU expected clarifications for the policy of Washington’s new administration on Russia. Thus, the European Council chairman actually admitted full dependence on the US on this issue contrary to the interests of the member states that have suffered considerably from the sanctions stand-off with Russia," the ministry said.

"Against this background, there can be hardly any talk about the role of the EU as an independent and responsible player on the international scene," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

At their summit on Thursday, the EU leaders agreed extending the anti-Russian economic sanctions until July 31, 2017. A formal decision on the sanctions extension will be made in the EU Permanent Representatives Committee in the coming days.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan