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Czech Republic urges EU, Russia to end sanctions

Tuesday, 21 November 2017 4:01 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 21 November 2017 4:01 PM ]

Czech President Milos Zeman looks on during a joint press conference with the leader of the ANO movement ('YES') to formally task him with forming a new cabinet, on October 31, 2017 at the Lany Castle in the village of Lany, west of Prague. (Photo by AFP)

Czech President Milos Zeman on Tuesday called for an end to EU sanctions against Russia imposed over the Ukraine crisis, as well as the retaliatory measures introduced by Moscow.

Zeman, a pro-Russia veteran of the left in EU member the Czech Republic, made the remarks following a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

"I have not accepted these sanctions... I have been opposed to them for a long time. This is not just a question of European sanctions towards Russia, but also of Russian sanctions towards the EU," Zeman said.

"Mr President, we must put an end to this!"

Relations between Brussels and Moscow nosedived after Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2014.

The European Union introduced heavy economic sanctions mainly targeting banks and also defense and oil companies. Russia responded by banning the import of food products from EU member states.

"A normalization of relations between Russia and the EU would be in the common interest" of Moscow and Prague, Putin said, thanking Zeman for "the efforts he has made towards the development of Russian-Czech relations".

Zeman, 73, faces elections in January where is favored to win a second term.

(Source: AFP)

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