Brussels, 16/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko will meet in Milan on Friday 17 October, in the presence of European leaders.
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, the UK's Prime Minister David Cameron, France's President François Hollande and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council, José Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy respectively, will attend the meeting chaired by Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. The Ukrainian crisis will be discussed - including the gas issue. “I don't expect easy negotiations” but “I'm optimistic”, Poroshenko stated. He added that Russia should move “from statements to concrete measures”. The last meeting with Poroshenko and Putin dates back to August - in other words, before the ceasefire on 5 September.
Elsewhere, Hungary's Minister for Foreign Affairs Peter Szijjarto has criticised the European policy of sanctions against Russia (although the measures were taken by unanimous decision). “These sanctions have not given us the result we hoped for in Ukraine - the conflict is clearly not de-escalating. Meanwhile, Europe's economy is suffering and central Europe has suffered the most”, he told the Financial Times. The sanctions are due to be reviewed for 31 October at the latest.
Ukraine will be on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council on 20 October and is likely to be a subject for the European Council on 23-24 October. (CG)