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Anti-Russian sanctions

Merkel: Lifting anti-Russian sanctions would benefit both Russia and Germany

The chancellor will continue doing her utmost to seek the implementation of the Minsk agreements

© REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

BERLIN, August 29. /TASS/. The removal of anti-Russian sanctions would do a power of good to both Russia and Germany, but to lift the restrictive measures it is necessary to meet a number of conditions, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told an annual news conference in Berlin on Tuesday.

"As you said, that will be good for the Russian economy and for the German economy," she told reporters.

According to Merkel, she will continue doing her utmost to seek the implementation of the Minsk package of agreements on the settlement in the Donbass region with the US participation.

Sanctions against Russia

The European Union’s sanctions against Russia may be removed only after Kiev regains control over Donbass, Merkel reiterated.

"Sanctions will be removed when the reasons for them are no longer there. Economic sanctions were introduced over the situation in Ukraine - in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions - where Kiev does not have sovereignty over its own territory," she said.

According to Merkel, if the recently declared ceasefire in Donbass proves sustainable, then "it will provide a basis for further political decisions."

"If we succeed in implementing the Minsk Agreements, then a possibility will emerge to lift sanctions," the German chancellor added.

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