President Zeman calls for lifting of EU sanctions against Russia

President Miloš Zeman has called for the lifting or limiting of EU sanctions against Russia in the wake of the Minsk peace deal, saying that such a move would benefit both sides. Speaking on a visit to the United Arab Emirates on Friday, the Czech president said he wanted to believe that the peace deal, which was signed on a higher political level that previous agreements, would work. He said it was time to consider lifting or softening the sanctions against Russia. Meanwhile, at an EU summit in Brussels, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said it was premature to consider such a move, saying that the world should now observe how the parties involved adhered to the peace agreement.