The foreign ministers of the Czech Republic and Poland have expressed hope upcoming parliamentary election in Ukraine will help resolve the conflict there through diplomacy.
Lubomir Zaoralek and Poland's new foreign minister, Grzegorz Schetyna, were speaking after talks in Prague on October 10.
Poland supports the economic sanctions against Russia for its role in the fighting in Ukraine, but the Czech Republic — though supportive — is concerned that the sanctions stifle its trade.
Zaoralek said he hopes that the outcome of the October 26 election in Ukraine will allow for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
Schetyna said he hopes the vote will help the Ukrainians decide their future and pledged Poland's continued support for Ukraine's European aspirations.
Schetyna later told The Associated Press that it depended on Russia, whether more sanctions would be needed.
"If Russia escalates its policy, if it does not accept the outcome of the free elections in Ukraine, if it does not respect the cease fire, then, in a natural way, the issue (of sanctions) will return to the European, to the world agenda."
