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Anti-Russian sanctions

Decision on new anti-Russian sanctions to be made depending on Feb 16 talks — French FM

EU ministers of foreign affairs confirmed on Monday the expansion of the black list for Russian citizens and militias of eastern Ukraine

© AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

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BRUSSELS, February 9. /TASS/. The decision on putting into effect new EU sanctions against Russia will be made on February 16, depending on the outcome of the negotiations in Minsk, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Monday on the sidelines of an EU ministerial meeting.

He said that the ministers of foreign affairs of 28 countries of the European Union confirmed on Monday the expansion of the black list for Russian citizens and militias in eastern of Ukraine, but postponed its entry into force.

"The restrictive measures have been agreed upon, we have confirmed the principle of the introduction of sanctions for [an offensive on] Mariupol," he said, adding that their entry into force "will depend on the situation on the ground and the results of the Minsk negotiations."

"We have decided to return to this issue on Monday [February 16] when we will know whether the [Minsk] meeting was held, its results, and we will be able to assess the consequences," Fabius said.

According to sources, foreign ministers of 28 member countries of the European Union on Monday discussed the inclusion in the "black list" on Ukraine of 5 more Russian citizens and 14 Ukrainian citizens, as well as 9 organisations which, in the opinion of the community, are responsible for the escalation of the conflict in the southeast of the country.

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