EU agrees to extend individual sanctions against Russia for six months
On Wednesday, ambassadors of the countries of the European Union agreed to extend a package of individual sanctions against Russia for six more months. These sanctions, which provide for the freezing of assets and the ban on obtaining visas, are in place because of Russia’s annexation of the Crimea and the war in the Donbas.
According to Rikard Jozwiak, the Brussels correspondent for Radio Liberty, the European Union has extended for another six months the sanctions applied to 150 citizens and 38 companies for violating the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. This decision must be formally approved by the EU Council by March 15, when the current term expires.
The European sanctions against Russia consist of several packages.
The first sanctions to be introduced were against citizens of Russia and Ukraine, which Europe considers responsible for undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The term expires on March 15, 2018. Economic sanctions are in effect until July 31, 2018. Sanctions against the Crimea were extended until June 23, 2018.