German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for immediate implementation of new sanctions against Russia, approved by the European Union, reports GHN based on Ukrinform
She said in the Bundestag on Wednesday.
"Given the current situation, we advocate that these sanctions be published now. I hope that the decision will be taken soon," she said.
According to Merkel, sanctions can be lifted if the Minsk agreements are met.
The Chancellor reiterated that sanctions are not "an end in itself," and adopted only if they cannot be avoided.
Recall, on Monday, the European Union adopted new sanctions against Russia, but postponed their official publication for an indefinite period of time. Restrictive measures come into force only after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.