EU sanctions on Russia depend on Ukraine truce - Latvia

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks to Latvia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkevics (not pictured) during their meeting in Moscow, January 12, 2015. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The European Union will consider lifting sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis only if there is "real progress" in implementing a four-month-old ceasefire deal, Latvia's foreign minister said on Monday.

Edgars Rinkevics, whose country took over the EU's rotating presidency on Jan. 1, held talks in Moscow before a meeting of the German, French, Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers scheduled in Berlin later on Monday.