WASHINGTON, October 11 (RIA Novosti) - G20 finance ministers and central bank governors discussed the outlook for lifting sanctions against Russia and settling the Ukraine crisis on the sidelines of IMF-World Bank fall meetings in Washington this week, Russia's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said Friday.
"During 'off-stage' meetings everyone was talking about their desire to resolve as soon as possible the situation in southeastern Ukraine, and to get rid of sanctions that are clearly in the way of their own business and economic stimuli," the Russian finance chief told journalists in Washington.
From Wednesday till Friday, finance ministers and central bank governors of the world's 20 major economies flocked to Washington to take part in the IMF-World Bank annual meetings.
Russia's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, who attended the gathering, told journalists that Ukraine's economic crisis was not on the official agenda.
He said all participants showed a great deal of impatience about getting rid of the economic sanctions that had been slapped on Russia over the past months.
The sanctions came in an effort to damage Russia's economy over its alleged role in Ukrainian crisis. Moscow has repeatedly warned the West that it should be ready for a backlash.
"No one needs sanctions. They go against our goal of enhancing economic growth. We believe that the 12-point agreement that was reached in Minsk is already being implemented across Ukraine," Siluanov said, adding that the lifting of sanctions was not a matter of "long-term perspective."
The Kiev government and independence forces in southeastern Ukraine agreed on a ceasefire at the September 5 meeting of the Contact Group in Minsk. Since the truce was established, the conflicting sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating the regime, although the OSCE said earlier this month that the truce was generally holding.
