Germany: Medvedev 'cautiously optimistic' about Syria deal

Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev expressed "cautious optimism" about the most recent Syria deal, as he spoke during an interview in Munich published on Sunday.
Speaking on the side-lines of the 52nd Munich Security Conference (MSC 2016), the Russian premier emphasised that resolving the Syrian conflict requires a united position of all sides to avoid "a never-ending war," which would not only be disastrous for Europe and Russia, but also for the world's "entire civilization," Medvedev warned.
Earlier, world powers, including the US and Russia, had agreed to cease hostilities and immediate humanitarian access to besieged areas in Syria following a meeting of the International Syrian Support Group (ISSG) in Munich on Friday.
Medvedev also commented on Russia's reunification with Crimea, stating that the issue “is closed forever."
“The republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol are a part of the Russian Federation," he added. Referring to European sanctions against Russia, Medvedev reminded the audience that the turnover of goods between Russia and the EU, which used to amount to €450 billion ($506 billion), has decreased dramatically to €217 billion ($244 billion), harming both European and Russian enterprises.