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KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Thursday that there was a risk of international sanctions on Russia being softened.

Addressing parliament, he said making concessions to the Kremlin before Russia had handed the Crimea region back to Ukraine would be a defeat for international law.

“We will consistently oppose attempts to ease the sanctions pressure on Russia,” he said. “But know that there is a risk of softening (sanctions).”