Brussels -- The European External Action Service will keep in close contact with EU member states which are to participate in the "Normandy format" summit in Astana over Ukraine, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini's spokeswoman, Catherine Ray, said at a briefing on Jan. 5.
Being asked to comment on a statement made by French President Francois Hollande early on Monday, she said that everything Hollande said refers to the position of his own country.
As for us, we will stick to our traditional position, which was expressed in the EU conclusions made in December 2014, Ray said, and refused to give further details on the subject.
As reported, Hollande called for Western sanctions against Russia to be lifted if there were signs of progress in ending the Ukraine crisis.
“I think the sanctions must stop now. They must be lifted if there is progress. If there is no progress the sanctions will remain,” the French president said during an interview with the France Inter radio station on Monday.
Hollande said he was hopeful progress could be made at international talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on January 15. Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are also expected to attend the meeting, part of an attempt to kick start peace talks and find a lasting solution to ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Hollande said Europe should keep lines of communication open with Putin.
“It has been costly for him…Mr Putin does not want to annex eastern Ukraine,” said Hollande. “What he wants is for Ukraine not to fall into the NATO camp.”
“What we want is that he respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine. What we want is that he does not support the separatists,” he added.
