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Anti-Russian sanctions

European Union extends economic sanctions against Russia for six months

The decision was made in connection with incomplete implementation of the Minsk agreements, the EU clarified

The Council of the European Union Shutterstock/FOTODOM

The Council of the European Union

© Shutterstock/FOTODOM

BRUSSELS, December 19. /TASS/. The European Union extended economic sanctions against Russia, which will expire on January 31, 2020, the EU Council said in its statement on Thursday.

"Today, the Council prolonged the economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy until 31 July 2020," the statement says.

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European Union extends sanctions against Russia for a year

The decision was made in connection with incomplete implementation of the Minsk agreements, the document says. "This decision follows an update by President Macron and Chancellor Merkel to the European Council on 12 December 2019 on the state of implementation of the Minsk agreements, to which the decision on maintaining sanctions is linked. Given that the Minsk agreements are not fully implemented, the European Council unanimously took the political decision to renew the economic sanctions against Russia," according to the document.

The European Union imposed sanctions against Russia in 2014 following the developments in Ukraine and Crimea’s reunification with Russia. The restrictive measures have been repeatedly extended and expanded ever since. Talks on visa-free travel and a new framework cooperation agreement were suspended. A number of Russian officials were banned from entering the European Union, their assets were frozen. Trade, financial and military restrictions were introduced.

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Sanctions vs. Russia

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