UPDATE: Minister: EU may revise Russia sanctions if Minsk accord fulfilled

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MOSCOW, Jan 25 (PRIME) -- The E.U. may ease or revise sanctions against Russia only if the Minsk agreements are fulfilled, France’s Minister of the Economy, Industry and Digital Affairs Emmanuel Macron said at a news conference following a meeting of the Franco-Russian Economic, Financial, Industrial and Trade Council on Monday.

“If these agreements are fulfilled, this current situation can be actually eased or revised,” he said.

France hopes to continue economic relations with Russia regardless of the political background, Macron also said.

On Sunday, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported citing Macron that France expects that the Western sanctions against Russia will be lifted this summer.

LIFTING OF SANCTIONS NOT ON KREMLIN’S AGENDA

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the lifting of sanctions against the country is not on the agenda of the Kremlin.

“In general, these sanctions are not an issue on our agenda, but an issue for those who use such rhetoric of sanctions,” he said.

“And of course, we believe that these sanctions are absolutely illegal, they contradict not only Russian interests, but also to interests of countries which imposed these sanctions.”

As for the Minsk agreements, Moscow believes that Kiev has failed to fulfill them yet, Peskov said.

Russia’s Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said, “The sanctions were not initially introduced by the Russian side… It is absolutely obvious that reverse actions must be symmetrical and tit-for-tat. If our respectable European friends make a decision, which in fact simplifies their business, we will also make a corresponding decision.”

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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