German Chancellor Angela Merkel supports the creation of a single economic area of the European Union and Russia. She stated this at the Congress office Christian democratic Union of Mecklenburg — Vorpommern, reports Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
“I’m for that Russia is gradually converging with the European economic space, so we ultimately had a common economic zone from Vladivostok to Lisbon,” said the Chancellor.
However, she argues that in the East of Ukraine with the support of Russia’s civil war, and therefore were originally introduced anti-Russian sanctions. Merkel also added that these restrictions can be lifted only after full implementation of the Minsk agreements.
As noted by the Chancellor, now Germany and France aim to achieve a genuine ceasefire in the Southeast of Ukraine and local elections. The adoption of the electoral law and the appointment of their date will be the prerequisites for obtaining the Donetsk and Lugansk special status, added Merkel.
In addition, Ukraine needs to access its border with Russia. “If this is done, then we will immediately lift the sanctions”, — said the Chancellor.
The document envisages a ceasefire in the East of Ukraine, was signed on 12 February 2015 in Minsk by representatives of OSCE, Ukraine, Russia and self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk national republics. Russia has repeatedly said that is not a party to the conflict in the Donbass, therefore, the responsibility for implementing the provisions of the Minsk agreements are the Ukrainian authorities and the militia.
