EU to extend sanctions against 146 Russian individuals
EU ambassadors will make a decision about extending targeted sanctions against Russian citizens involved in the violation of Ukrainian territorial integrity. In particular, 146 people and 37 companies could have their visas restricted and accounts frozen.
As Radio Svoboda reports, citing its own sources in the EU, a decision about extending the sanctions for another six months is expected to be adopted without much discussion by September 15. The parties in question include companies in the Crimea and those that supported the formation of Russian militants in eastern Ukraine, as well as Russian politicians, in particular, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, and the main propagandist of the Kremlin, Dmitry Kiselyov.
Recently, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that there are no prerequisites for lifting sanctions. At the same time, if significant progress implementing the Minsk Agreements is made, the issue of easing sanctions and pressure on the Kremlin may appear on the EU agenda. On June 17, the EU Council decided to extend restrictive measures imposed as a result of Russia’s annexation of the Crimea. On July 1, the EU approved the decision to extend the economic restrictive measures against Russia for six months, agreed upon by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU countries on June 21. Thus, sanctions against the Russian Federation were extended until January 31, 2017.