Obama announced the conditions for lifting sanctions on Russia

Фото: Depositphotos

US President Barack Obama said that international sanctions against Russia should remain in force until it implements the Minsk agreements. He also officially announced the expansion of the US contingent in Syria.

“I want good relations with Russia, and I have a lot invested in relations with Russia, but we must leave sanctions against them in place until Russia fully implements the Minsk agreements,” Obama said, speaking to representatives of German business circles at the opening of the international industrial fair Hanover Messe.

The Minsk Agreements are a set of measures agreed upon by an international group of negotiators aimed at resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine. They include points on the withdrawal of foreign troops and mercenaries from Donbass, the release of prisoners and prisoners, and the adoption of permanent legislation on the special status of certain regions of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Europe and Ukraine, unlike Russia, believe that the Minsk Agreements include the release of Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, sentenced by a Russian court to 22 years in prison. Russia, in turn, claims that Ukraine is in no hurry to implement the clauses on the special status of the LPR and DPR.

Calls for allies

The main agenda of Obama's visit to Hanover is international trade. He discussed the US-EU Free Trade and Investment Partnership [TTIP] agreement with leaders of major German companies.

Critics of the agreement believe that it will weaken control over environmental protection and will have a negative impact on the labor rights of citizens.

In addition, Obama touched on issues of European security and the problem of refugees. Speaking of security, the president called on NATO member countries not to save.

“We must ensure the safety of all our allies. That's why we must remain flexible, make our forces versatile, and invest in new capabilities such as cyber defense and missile defense. That is why each NATO member must pay its full share—two percent of GDP—towards our common security. This doesn't always happen. And, I’ll be honest, sometimes Europe takes its security lightly,” Obama said in a speech to businessmen.

Speaking of refugees, Obama called on Europe to remain open, recalling that Germany had become one of the countries that received the most migrants from the Middle East.

During his speech, Obama also announced the expansion of the US military presence in Syria. As the president stated, the current contingent will increase from 50 to 300 people, taking into account representatives of the special services. Americans will train and support friendly local forces in the fight against the Islamic State extremist group, Obama said.

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