Russian Sanctions Tactics in Ukraine Don’t Fool G-7, Japan Says

Russia, which backs the militants who’ve been fighting Ukrainian troops for 1 1/2 years, calms the unrest whenever it sees an opportunity to have the penalties against it repealed, particularly those imposed by the European Union, Shigeki Sumi said in an interview. Without full implementation of a peace accord sealed in February in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, Group of Seven nations have „strong“ intentions to maintain the sanctions, he said.

„We aren’t naive,“ Sumi said Wednesday in Kiev. „When the time to renew sanctions comes, Russia does something to ease the tension so they expect some sanctions to be lifted. So far, they don’t give up the idea of keeping Ukraine under their influence. We have to be careful when we discuss sanctions.“