The European Union should progressively lift its anti-Russian sanctions in response to the country's steps toward fulfilling the Minsk accords on Ukrainian settlement, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said.
"I think that we should gradually arrive at a stage where every move toward fulfilling the Minsk accords, every step is met with the progressive removal of sanctions," Kurz said told the Austrian ORF public broadcaster.
A substantial step in reconciling with Russian should be made, he added, expressing hope that Russia makes a similar move.
European politicians are currently casting doubt on sanctions as a viable way of conducting relations with Russia, he noted.