There will be new sanctions until Russia stops aggression – Volker

U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker said this during an online video press briefing on Monday, March 18, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

When asked whether Washington expects more sanctions from the European Union against Russia, Volker said: "Yes."

He added that sanctions would be removed if Russia returned control of the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine.

"But until then, I think you will see a continued push from the European Union, the United States and others to continue to ratchet up sanctions," he added.

In this regard, Volker stressed that the latest Western sanctions related to Russian aggression in the Sea of Azov had been a common decision made by the United States, the European Union and Canada.

"It was our concerted action to demonstrate that we are deeply concerned about Russia's continuing occupation and claimed annexation of Crimea, and also about the extension of that to include a claim to have unilateral control over the Kerch Strait and access to the Sea of Azov and ... the attack and arrest of the Ukrainian sailors," Volker said.

Such a consolidated position will maintain in the future, the U.S. representative stressed.

ish