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EU sanctions against Russia should be scrapped: Slovak PM

Xinhua, November 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

The sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine are nonsensical and should be scrapped, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday.

He made the remarks at the conference "Visegrad Four and the future of the EU" at Comenius University here.

"We're arguing very clearly against the sanctions. For whose benefit are the sanctions, considering that bilateral trade between Slovakia and Russia has fallen by 30 percent over the past year or two? For whom and how do they serve? The sanctions make no sense, but the EU must remain united at the end of the day. You can say 'I don't like it, I protest,' but you shouldn't go against the majority opinion and eventually also the EU's unity," said Fico.

Fico also addressed the election of Donald Trump as president in the United States and how this could improve relations with Russia.

"If certain statements from Donald Trump's campaign are fulfilled, then there could be a new quality of relations between the United States and Russia, for example. These relations are tense at the moment and nobody is benefiting from that. We need more balance," said Fico. Endit