Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said in an interview with Italian Radio that sanctions were imposed on Russia in retaliation for its annexation of Crimea and support for the separatist militants in the east of Ukraine. In his letters inviting EU heads of state and government to attend the summit on December 17-18, European Council President Donald Tusk asked them to include in the December 18 agenda the issue of renewed sanctions. Mr. Tusk stressed that this would be the direct result of the European Council’s findings approved in March, whereby the term of the sanctions is clearly connected with the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.
Roland FREUDENSTEIN, deputy director, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, Brussels:
“For the time being, he is going to agree to a prolongation of sanctions. But he has clearly indicated he expects more of a political debate, and a ‘review’ in the next couple of months. I think he is preparing the ground now for a scenario in spring 2016 in which he and a couple of other leaders will argue that Minsk II has been ‘sufficiently’ fulfilled by Russia so some of the sanctions can be lifted (of course, he means the ones that really bite). I hope German leadership by then will be strong enough to maintain unity in the EU. He means the US-Russian coordination over Syria. He expresses his hope that this will lead to a thaw over Ukraine as well. Of course, he’s playing Putin’s game. But he doesn’t care.”
Edward LUCAS, senior vice president of the Center for European Policy Analysis, London:
“He is under pressure from Italian industry which is hurting and from colleagues who are desperate for anything that would mean economic growth.”
