WASHINGTON, March 15 (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein – Russia’s withdrawal of forces from Syria may impact European leaders views on whether or not to renew anti-Russian sanctions in June, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker told Sputnik on Tuesday.
“I don’t think there is any question that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is also, as you can imagine, trying to show himself to be a good actor to Europe as they continue to contemplate sanctions relative to Ukraine,” Corker said.
Beginning on Tuesday, two Russian air groups involved in the nearly six month engagement in Syria left the Hmeimim airbase. The departure followed Putin’s orders on Monday to begin the withdrawal of a large part of Russia’s forces in Syria after completing their objectives.
The drawdown of Russian forces in Syria has largely been accepted as a positive development by the international community, according to reports.
Corker acknowledged that if the pullback is as large as President Putin has reported, “certainly it is a good sign.”
The European Union is scheduled to reconsider the economic sanctions regime against Russia in June, six months after deciding to reimpose the measures.
The EU and its allies introduced several rounds of sanctions against Russia beginning in 2014, accusing Moscow of meddling in the Ukrainian conflict. Moscow has repeatedly refuted the allegations, stressing it is not a party in Ukraine conflict.
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160316/1036360647/russia-withdrawal-syria.html
