PARIS, November 27. /TASS/. Sanctions against Russia can be lifted only if the Minsk peace deal on Ukraine is implemented, France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told RTL radio station on Friday, stressing that the issue has nothing to do with the situation in Syria.

Fabius said the sanctions issue was discussed on Thursday at the talks in the Kremlin between the French and Russian presidents, Francois Hollande and Vladimir Putin, that focused on Syria.

"Yesterday we spoke about this a little. It’s no secret that sanctions will be lifted only when the Minsk process is fulfilled," the French minister said, adding that the sides continue consultations in the Normandy format.

"We — Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine — hold meetings. The goal is that in March (2016) the elections should be held there," Fabius said.