Progress on Ukraine reforms can boost case for Russia sanctions - Rasmussen
Source: Reuters
Ukraine will find it easier to persuade European Union countries to renew sanctions against Russia this summer if it shows progress in pushing reforms and tackling corruption, the former chief of NATO told Reuters on Saturday.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen was appointed an adviser to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Friday, having been NATO secretary-general when Ukraine plunged into conflict with Russian-backed separatists following Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014.
The EU will decide within weeks whether to renew sanctions against Russia, which requires the unanimous agreement of its 28 member states. The sanctions will probably be extended despite growing opposition within the 28-nation bloc.
Rasmussen said continuing the sanctions was the only way to exert pressure on Russia to stop supporting separatists fighting the Ukrainian army in the Donbass region and getting a ceasefire agreement to stick. "I know from talks with politicians in Western capitals that their willingness to continue sanctions is also linked to the Ukrainian willingness to actually carry out comprehensive reforms," Rasmussen said by telephone.
Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-ukraine-crisis-rasmussen-idUKKCN0YJ0L9
= new reply since forum marked as read
