Germany to discuss new sanctions against Russia with EU partners

"The sanctions will be discussed in the circle of European partners," he said at a briefing in Berlin on Wednesday.

He recalled that the issue of anti-Russian sanctions that are in place until the end of January 2019 would be resolved in a few weeks.

Seibert also said that the German federal government had taken note of critical remarks by Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk, who called for the introduction of new restrictive measures against Russia, including the suspension of the Nord Stream 2 project. 

The spokesman said that Germany and Europe were interested in preserving Ukraine's role as a transit country in the future and welcome trilateral negotiations held with the EU on this issue.

German daily newspaper Die Welt wrote on Wednesday, citing its own sources, that the German side is allegedly blocking the introduction of new sanctions against Russia.

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