'Maintain sanctions against Russia '

berlin - Europe and the United States must maintain the sanctions against Russia until there is progress in the introduction of the Minsk agreements. That said, the German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel Friday.

The Minsk agreements were concluded in 2015 and were intended to bring back the peace in eastern Ukraine. As yet there is still little materialized.

Recently, tensions between the Ukrainian government and the pro-Russian separatists continued to rise. Last week blocked Kiev shipments to the troubled regions.

'It is important that Europe and the US form a united front and abide by the sanctions against Russia until there is progress regarding the Minsk agreements,' Gabriel said in an interview that appears Saturday. 'So far, the US has supported this position and I hope it stays that way. '

US President Trump has previously commented favorably on the Russian President Putin. This aroused fears in Kiev that economic sanctions against Russia or could be even more flexible.