Russia calls for end to sanctions as EU targets Ukraine separatists

Ministro das Finanças, Anton Siluanov, durante conferência sobre investimentos organizada pela Reuters em Moscou. 24/09/2014. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

MOSCOW/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Russia urged the European Union on Saturday to lift sanctions against Moscow and promised to waive its food embargo, but a top EU official rejected such a move as the bloc imposed fresh measures on Ukrainian rebels.

The European Union and the United States imposed economic sanctions on Russia in late July, targeting the Russian energy, banking and defence sectors to punish Moscow's support for rebels in eastern Ukraine, the West's toughest steps yet.