- Potential Russian disconnection from SWIFT can be suicidal for EU economy — expert
- Pressure of sanctions not to make Moscow give up what it considers right — Lavrov
- External shocks cause Russian economy shock damage of $200 billion — Siluanov
- PACE commitee supports amendment on stripping Russian delegation of voting right in 2015
- EU, US will not make joint decision on lifting Russia sanctions — expert
BRUSSELS, January 28. /TASS/. The EU foreign ministers will make a decision on Thursday to extend for 9 months anti-Russia sanctions, which expire in March, Reuters news agency reported on Wednesday with reference to EU officials.
Earlier on Wednesday Brussels-based website EUobserver wrote that the ministers were going to decide on extension of anti-Russia sanctions, though it did not specify the timeline. "In view of the worsening situation, the [EU] Council agrees to extend the restrictive measures targeting persons and entities for threatening or undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," EUobserver cited a draft communiqu·.
The EU foreign ministers will request the European Commission (EC) and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to present a proposal for decision within a week on additional listings for Russia, the document said.
They also requested to undertake "further preparatory work on further restrictive measures" in a threat of new economic sanctions.
"New European Union sanctions against Russia could include further capital markets restrictions, making it harder for Russian companies to refinance themselves and possibly affecting Russian sovereign bonds and access to advanced technology for the oil and gas sectors," EUobserver reported.