Speaking after meeting Slovak Premier Robert Fico and Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka in Slavkov u Brna, in the Czech Republic on Thursday, Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann stressed the importance of intensive peace talks in resolving the tension in eastern Ukraine rather than further and more stringent sanctions. Faymann went on to express his backing for the implementation of the agreement reached in Minsk last year while calling stricter sanctions only a last resort at best that cannot replace a peace plan. In the long-term perspective, economic and political cooperation with Russia needs to be resumed, hence the importance of sticking to the terms of the Minsk agreement, the normalisation of ties and a return to sovereign rights and full respect for minorities. Sobotka noted that he expects the European Council to come up with a joint position on potential further sanctions against Russia, which should be discussed at the extraordinary EU summit on 12 February. "We've always tried to maintain unity in the attitude of the EU," said Sobotka.
TASR
