Kerry: Russian sanctions won't be lifted until full implementation of Minsk agreements

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has reiterated that sanctions against Russia will not be lifted until the Minsk agreements are fully implemented.

The Minsk agreements should be fully observed and the sanctions will remain in place, he told Ukrainian journalists before a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Antalya, Turkey, on Wednesday.

The implementation of the Minsk agreements requires the joint efforts of the Ukrainian authorities, the Russian leadership, and the rebels it supports in Donbas, Kerry said.

Kerry went on to say that he hoped that Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the separatists will come together to cooperate with the Ukrainian government to carry out the Minsk agreements.