Maas: No discussion in EU on lifting sanctions against Russia

The European Union keeps the sanctions imposed on Russia for violating the sovereignty of Ukraine, and there is currently no discussion about the possibility of their lifting.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said this at a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin in Mariupol, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"I have no information that there has been some kind of extraordinary debate in the European Union about the extension or non-extension of sanctions," Maas said.

There is "some uncertainty" about Italy, where the winners of parliamentary elections form a coalition government and intend to raise the issue of sanctions, he noted.

"So far, they do not support keeping of these sanctions. However, we need to wait until the government is formed and then we will see what signals will come from Italy," Maas said.

ol