Juncker says too early to mull lifting of EU sanctions vs Russia

BRUSSELS, Jan 30 (PRIME) -- The time to consider lifting the European sanctions against Russia has not come, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker told a reporter on Monday, after a meeting with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev.

Radev said earlier that a practical benefit of the sanctions against Russia for the E.U. remains unclear while losses are evident.

The E.U. earlier prolonged sanctions against Russia for six months after their expiration at the end of January 2017.

It is premature to discuss lifting of the Western sanctions from Russia, U.S. President Donald Trump said at a news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May late on January 27.

In 2014, relations between Russia and the West deteriorated to their worse since the Cold War due to a military conflict in Ukraine. The West introduced sanctions against some Russian individuals and firms and further against the energy and banking sectors. In response, Russia limited food imports from some countries, including the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Australia, and Norway.

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