Merkel sets high bar for lifting of Russia sanctions

German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses a joint news conference with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk, following talks at the Chancellery in Berlin January 8, 2015. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that Europe could not consider lifting sanctions against Russia until all elements of a 12-point peace agreement signed in September between Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels were fully implemented.

In her clearest comments yet on the sanctions issue, the German leader adopted a more hawkish stance than that set out by senior politicians from her coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), and European leaders like French President Francois Hollande in recent days.