USA and Italy in favour of maintaining the punishment relative to Russia to implement the Minsk agreements on Ukraine, said the head of Barack Obama at a mutual press conference with Prime Minister of Italy.
"We spoke About our shared concern on the situation in Ukraine. About how important it is to preserve the power of punishment, including punishment of the EU, until, as long as both Russia and Ukraine will not meet its obligations under the Minsk agreements ", - transfers its words of news Agency.
"We are determined to conduct diplomacy with the "Normandy Quartet" to achieve this goal, " - said the head of the United States. Thus we Emphasize that in Italy almost the strongest voices On the need for cancellation of penalties Against Russia. So, four Italian regions (Veneto, Lombardy, Liguria and Tuscany) voted for a resolution calling for the overcoming of sanctions and restoration of full strength of relations with Russia. The first (in may) did the regional Council of Veneto, 29 Jun similar document approved in Liguria, where he was supported and Empowered the ruling at the national level, the center-left Democratic party (PD) and on 5 July the draft was supported by the regional Council of Lombardy. Against Russia there are 3 packs of punishments of the European Union. The first was introduced penalties Against individual citizens of Russia and Ukraine, which the EU considers responsible for undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine, they extended March 10 to fifteen September 2016. Sectoral restrictive measures Against Russia ? the So-called economic punishments ? are valid until 31 July 2016, and punishment Against the Crimea ? until 23 June 2016. The head the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Russia Sergei Lavrov said that the EU is beginning to understand the futility of attempts Russophobes " call the tune ", but Brussels is still under strong pressure of the US capital. The head of the Ministry of economic development of Russia Alexei Ulyukayev said that the designated business and officials in the EU feel the fatigue from the sanctions regime, and want to find a way out of the situation.

sections: Politics