Report: Russian envoy says hopes for EU sanctions’ repeal Aug

MOSCOW, Mar 1 (PRIME) -- European sanctions against Russia are hoped to be revoked in August, permanent representative to the E.U. Vladimir Chizhov told channel Rossiya 24 in an interview late Monday.

“The economic sanctions… will be in force until July 31, some decisions will be made at a summit of the E.U. on June 23–24,” Chizhov said. “I think that at a certain stage, I hope, already in summer, they (sanctions) will just stop being active.”

He said that each E.U. country will be deciding on whether to prolong the sanctions or not, taking in consideration the damage which Russia’s countermeasures made to their economies.

“It is enough for one country to say no and withstand a period of arm twisting, to mean it’s over,” Chizhov said.

Relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated to their worst since the Cold War in 2014 due to a military conflict in Ukraine. The E.U., U.S. and several other countries introduced sanctions against Russian individuals and firms. In response, Russia prohibited food imports from these states.

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