BRUSSELS, February 26. /TASS/. New EU sanctions against Russia due to the situation around Alexey Navalny will be officially approved next week, President of the European Council Charles Michel said at a press conference following the first day of the EU online summit.

According to him, on Monday, the EU Council approved sanctions, this decision will be formalized next week as part of the sanctions regime for violations of human rights.

Michel reiterated that the EU condemns Navalny's sentence and calls on the Russian authorities to release him.

On October 15, the European Union has added included officcials in the sanctions list for the incident with Navalny - FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration Sergey Kiriyenko, Head of the Presidential Directorate for Internal Policy Andrey Yarin, Deputy Defense Ministers Alexey Krivoruchko and Pavel Popov, as well as Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Siberian Federal District Sergey Menyailo.