Natalia Dobrovolskaya. Punishment against Russia must be part of the strategy of the European Union, said 1st Vice-President of the European Commission Franz Timmermans in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

He said that the Crisis in Ukraine will be the focus of the EU summit on 19-20 March.

"We need to assess the implementation of the Minsk agreements, and to consider the strategy and motivate all parties to faithfully carry out what was agreed. Punishment against Russia must continue to be part of our strategy, " He said.

The EU and the US amid deteriorating relations with the Russian Federation in connection with the situation in Ukraine in the summer of last year imposed a punishment against a number of sectors of the Russian economy. In response, Russia has restricted the import of food items from countries that have introduced in relation to penalties: USA, EU, Canada, Australia and Norway. The crisis of the Russian economy, resulting in a sharp reduction in world prices for oil products and punishment of the West, forced the Russian authorities to go on the reduction of budget expenditures.


Western countries from March 2014 has repeatedly imposed punishment because of the position of Russia in Ukraine. The last case of using such practices were the limits imposed in February 2015, when was expanded sanctions list of the EU.

The list of Russian Citizens and organizations, who are under punishment, the material of the Fins news

sections: Politics