President Zeman says Czech Republic should call for end to EU sanctions against Russia

The Czech Republic should join the states that are proposing a withdrawal of EU sanctions against Russia, President Miloš Zeman said at the opening of an agricultural goods fair in České Budějovice. The president argued that the sanctions had benefitted no one and were damaging both Czech farmers and the Czech industry. The sanctions are a sign of helplessness on the part of the EU and if our politicians want to help the agricultural sector they should take a clear stand in support of the states that propose a withdrawal of the EU sanctions, Zeman said. He pointed out that the French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron and the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier had openly argued in favour of withdrawing the sanctions. The chairman of the Senate Milan Štech said he would address an appeal for the sanctions to be withdrawn to German Chancellor Merkel during her visit to Prague.