The EU has extended for six months economic sanctions against Russia

The Council of the European Union on Thursday, December 21, extended sectoral economic sanctions against the aggressor state of Russia for the next six months, until 31 July 2018. About it reports a press-service of the European external action service.

“The Council has strengthened this decision by written procedure and in accordance with the rules for all such decisions unanimously,” – said in the message.

It is noted that the decision came after December 14, 2017 Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and President of France Emmanuel macron has informed the European Council about the situation with the implementation of the Minsk agreements on the settlement of the conflict in the Donbass.

The EU recalled that on 19 March 2015 European Council has linked the duration of the sanctions with the full implementation of the Minsk agreements that were supposed to happen on 31 December 2015.

“Due to the fact that it did not happen, and considering the fact that the Minsk agreement has not yet been fully implemented, the EU Council extends sanctions for another six months”, – stated in the message.

See also: Tusk: First, the EU approved the extension of sanctions against Russia without debate

Sanctions against Russia were initially imposed on 31 July 2014 for a period of one year and was toughened in September of the same year, in response to the actions of the Kremlin to destabilize the situation in Ukraine. The restrictions relating to financial, energy and defense sectors, as well as dual-use goods.

14 December 2017, the EU leaders approved the renewal of economic sanctions against Russia for another six months.

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