Time to end sanctions against Russia, says French President.

[Denzil_DC]

60. You'd be hard pressed to find an outlet without an agenda.

Here's a grab-bag of coverage from a variety of sources (some nominally RW, but what the hey). Bold is mine (I have an agenda, too, I'm just prepared to admit it).

MOSCOW — Western nations should stop threatening Russia with new sanctions and instead offer to ease off on existing restrictions in exchange for progress in the peace process in Ukraine, President François Hollande of France said in an interview on Monday.

Backing President Vladimir V. Putin into a corner will not work, he said, giving a high-level voice to what is seen as mounting sanctions fatigue among European politicians, as the Ukraine crisis lurches into a second year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/06/world/europe/francois-hollande-says-destabilizing-sanctions-on-russia-must-stop-now.html?_r=0

French President Francois Hollande says he wants Western sanctions on Russia to be lifted if progress is made in talks on the Ukraine conflict this month.

He did not specify which sanctions - imposed by the EU, US and Canada - could be lifted. The sanctions began after Russia annexed Crimea in March.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30679176

The French president today called for the lifting of the West's economic sanctions on Russia, saying: 'Mr Putin does not want to annex eastern Ukraine. He has told me that.'

Saying the sanctions 'must stop now', Francois Hollande said he was expecting progress on a resolution to the Ukraine crisis at international talks in Kazakhstan in 10 days.

The crisis in Ukraine has prevented cash-strapped France from completing the delivery of two Mistral-class warships to Russia, a deal left in limbo since accusations Russia has interfered in Ukraine's civil war.

Ukraine's Western-backed leader Petro Poroshenko is to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin at a meeting in the Kazakh capital Astana in ten days, which will also be attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Mr Hollande said: 'I am going to Astana on January 15 on one condition, that there be fresh progress. And I think there will be. If it is to meet and talk without making headway, it is not worth it.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2897281/Francois-Hollande-suggests-sanctions-Russia-lifted-says-Putin-does-not-want-annex-eastern-Ukraine-told-that.html

Paris (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande said Monday that biting Western sanctions against Russia should be lifted if progress were made in resolving the Ukraine crisis.

"I think the sanctions must stop now. They must be lifted if there is progress. If there is no progress the sanctions will remain," he said during a wide-ranging two-hour interview with France Inter radio station.

http://news.yahoo.com/hollande-russia-sanctions-end-ukraine-progress-002449981.html

Francois Hollande has called for Western sanctions against Russia to be lifted if there were signs of progress in ending the Ukraine crisis. He's expected to join Chancellor Merkel at upcoming talks in Kazakhstan.

http://www.dw.de/hollande-russia-sanctions-should-be-lifted-now-if-progress/a-18170733

Hollande said on France Inter radio that deterioration of the economic situation in Russia is no good for Europe and that “now sanctions should be stopped.” He also added that sanctions “should be dropped if there is progress (on Ukraine).”

http://itar-tass.com/en/world/770356

French President Francois Hollande has called for Western sanctions against Russia to be removed as soon as progress is made in resolving the ongoing Ukraine crisis, French media reported Monday.

"I think it is necessary to stop the sanctions. They should be cancelled once there is progress. If there is no progress, the sanctions will remain," Hollande was cited as saying by Agence France-Presse.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/hollande-calls-for-end-to-russia-sanctions-once-progress-made-in-ukraine/514059.html

French President Francois Hollande has called for an end to punitive economic sanctions on Russia if world powers make progress toward ending the crisis in Ukraine.

"I think the sanctions must stop now. They must be lifted if there is progress. If there is no progress the sanctions will remain," Hollande said in an interview on Monday.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/hollande-calls-lifting-russia-sanctions-if-there-progress-ukraine-1481925

To portray this as Hollande seeking an unconditional end to the targeted sanctions regime would be shameless spin. I don't see much clarification of what form of, or how much, "progress" would be considered acceptable by Hollande, who's obviously not unaware of the complications around the warship deal, among other domestic considerations. Hollande's statement's unexceptional - the very nature of a sanctions regime is that the carrot of their easing is dangled while progress is sought on points of contention - and echoes Merkel, who also has a vested interest in seeing some of the sanctions lifted.