Angelina Timofeeva. Conclusion on the extension of sanctions against Russia in the former would be interpreted as a statement of sad fact about insufficiently rapid implementation of the Minsk agreements, said the foreign Minister of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, speaking in the European Parliament Committee on international Affairs on the first day of the week.

"If we accept the opinion on the extension of punishment in their former condition, it can emphasize the sad fact that it is not enough to quickly implement the Minsk process," said Steinmeier, broadcast speeches which is on the Internet representation of the European Commission.

according to him, such punishment must be treated as " just a tool ".

before the White house following the meeting of leaders of USA, UK, Germany, France and Italy in Antalya said that the parties agreed that the punishment against Russia will remain until the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.

at the end of July 2014, the EU and the US said the penalties against entire sectors of Russia's economy due to the deterioration of relations between Russia and the West on the background of the conflict in Ukraine. In response Russia in the last month of the summer of 2014 limited the import of food items from countries that have imposed against her punishment, and declared the policy of import substitution. In the summer of 2015 penalties and retaliatory measures of the Russian Federation were extended for another year.

sections: Politics