“Cypriots are waiting for sanctions against Turkey due to drilling operations and are disappointed that it takes some time. Therefore, they intervene in the sanctions list in Crimea, ”the agency quoted one of the unnamed EU diplomats as saying.
According to another representative of the European Union, the alliance is annoyed and surprised at this position of Cyprus.
Nicosia’s actions did not allow the adoption of the sanctions agreed upon by the European Union against Russia because of the Crimea, since their final approval requires the consent of all countries - members of the alliance.
At the same time, a third source expressed the hope that EU sanctions would nevertheless be adopted early next week.
The Cyprus Foreign Ministry, in turn, announced the need for an additional review of the proposed EU measures against Russia.
In December, the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that sanctions against Russia, which expire on January 31, 2020, were extended for six months.
Crimean political scientist Vladislav Ganzhara, in an interview with Sputnik Radio, noted that it has become more difficult for the European Union to reach consensus due to an increase in the number of countries interested in lifting, easing or partially lifting sanctions against Russia.
Crimea became the Russian region after a referendum held there in March 2014, in which most residents spoke out for reunification with Russia.