Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev waits before an annual state of the nation address attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 1, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Reuters: Germany invites Russian minister on EU sanctions list to G20 meeting
Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev, who is on a European Union list of Russians banned from entering the bloc, will next week attend a meeting in Berlin with his G20 counterparts at Germany's invitation.
European Union leaders last July extended economic sanctions against Russia first imposed in 2014 after it annexed Crimea and went on to support a
separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine. The EU last year also extended travel bans and asset freezes covering about 150 people and 37 entities, including Tkachev.
A spokeswoman for the German ministry of agriculture played down the significance of the invitation by Germany, which in January 2015 refused to issue an entry visa to Tkachev.
Read more ....
Update: Russia to attend summit of G20 agriculture ministers despite sanctions (TASS)
WNU Editor: The Kremlin wants most EU sanctions gone before the Russian Presidential election in 2018. If this German invitation is any indication .... it may happen. On a side note, Russia has announced a plan to permanently leave the G8 .... Russia announces plan to permanently leave G8 group of industrialised nations after suspension for Crimea annexation (The Independent).
A spokeswoman for the German ministry of agriculture played down the significance of the invitation by Germany, which in January 2015 refused to issue an entry visa to Tkachev.
Read more ....
Update: Russia to attend summit of G20 agriculture ministers despite sanctions (TASS)
WNU Editor: The Kremlin wants most EU sanctions gone before the Russian Presidential election in 2018. If this German invitation is any indication .... it may happen. On a side note, Russia has announced a plan to permanently leave the G8 .... Russia announces plan to permanently leave G8 group of industrialised nations after suspension for Crimea annexation (The Independent).
