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The EU extends sanctions against the Russian Federation, seeing "zero progress" in the implementation of the Minsk agreements
The leaders of the European Union agreed on the extension of economic sanctions against Russia, not seeing Moscow’s steps in the direction of the implementation of the Minsk agreements that relate to the settlement of the political crisis in eastern Ukraine.
"The EU unanimously extends economic sanctions against Russia, taking into account zero progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements," wrote the chairman of the European Council Donald Tusk on his Twitter page .
Sanctions are extended by six months, current sanctions expire on January 31.
“This is a political decision. Ahead is a formal procedure that will be done over the next weeks,” Tusk explained. After the completion of the formal procedure, the decision will be published in the EU official journal and will enter into force, TASS reports.
Earlier, the Chairman of the European Council reported that in connection with the territorial dispute around the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, "the key signal of the summit for Russia will be a decision to extend sanctions for an additional six months," Interfax reports.
“I think this is a powerful signal,” Tusk explained. “On the Sea of Azov, I believe, we (European Council. - Approx. Interfax) will come to written conclusions. But the written conclusions that we are still working on are reflecting the discussion between foreign ministers at the Foreign Council for Last Monday.”
Tusk also noted that in connection with the situation around the Sea of Azov, the European Council demanded that Russia release all the arrested Ukrainian sailors from captured ships and ensure free shipping through the Kerch Strait.
The last time the EU economic sanctions against Russia were extended in the summer, and they were introduced for the first time in July 2014, shortly after the annexation of the Ukrainian Crimea to Russia. The international community considered this an act of aggression, which entailed a number of political crises. The last of them was the incident in the Black Sea, where Russian border guards captured three ships of the Ukrainian Navy using weapons.