The European Union has extended until March 15, 2018 individual sanctions against citizens and legal entities of Russia and Ukraine, which Brussels blames for undermining Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity. About it reported in a press-service of the EU Council.
“Assessment of the situation did not justify changing the sanctions regime,” — said the press service.
From the sanctions list were removed four of the dead person. At this point in the list are 149 individuals and 38 organizations. Among them are Russian politicians and officials, businessmen and security forces, as well as representatives of the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk national republics.
The EU Council reiterated that continuing to operate other measures of Brussels, introduced in response to the Ukrainian crisis. Sanctions against several sectors of the Russian economy (valid until 31 January 2018) and restrictions on the Crimea and Sevastopol (until 23 June 2018).
Member States of the European Union, USA and several other countries have introduced restrictive measures against Russia in 2014 and linking them with the annexation of Crimea, and then — with the conflict in the South-East of Ukraine. In response, Moscow imposed a ban on food exports from most countries, which supported anti-Russian sanctions.
The abolition of the restrictive measures, the West is linked to the implementation by Moscow of Minsk agreements — a package of measures to stabilize the situation in the South-East of Ukraine. The document, in particular, envisages a ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the contact line of the warring parties, and constitutional reform in the Republic.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that is not a party to the conflict in the Donbass, and the responsibility for the implementation of the agreements lies on Kiev. Russia emphasized that the accession of Crimea was fully consistent with international norms.