The European Union extended economic sanctions against Russia for six months

The European Union (EU) has extended economic sanctions against Russia by six months until July 31, 2019, said in a statement. the EU Council

“Given that no progress [in the implementation of the Minsk agreements] has been made, the European Council has taken a political decision to extend economic sanctions against Russia,” the report says.

The decision to extend the restrictive measures was taken unanimously. The sanctions target the financial, energy and defense sectors of the Russian economy, as well as a number of dual-use goods.

The European Union imposed sanctions on Russia in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of a military conflict in the Donbass. The last time the EU extended restrictive measures for six months was in July. They expire on January 31st.

In February 2015, at the EU summit, Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia decided that anti-Russian sanctions could be lifted after the implementation of the Minsk agreements. One of the demands was a ceasefire in certain areas of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics.