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Asked by Die Welt
in an interview if sanctions expiring in July would be extended,
the former Italian foreign minister said: "I expect so."
In a text of her English-language answers provided by her
office, Mogherini added: "EU heads of state or government had
tied the lifting of the sanctions to a full implementation of
the Minsk Agreements. So far, this has not been reached."
Some EU countries have suggested sanctions might be eased in
July in an effort to defuse tension with Moscow even though a
peace deal struck at Minsk early last year has not ended the
conflict in eastern Ukraine. But Mogherini said EU policy would
not change yet, although later this year there should be a
"substantive political evaluation" of how to move forward.
"There have always been different opinions on some elements of
our sanction policy," she said.
"It will probably stay that way. But in spite of the
differences, the unity was also always there. What is important
is that we keep this unity and decide all together."
The 28-strong EU needs unanimity to extend the economic
sanctions, which were first introduced in 2014 after Russia
annexed the Crimea peninsula from Kiev and expanded when Moscow
was accused of backing separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.
(Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Alastair Macdonalda
and Raissa Kasolowsky)
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