EU leaders agree to prolong anti-Russian economic sanctions

BRUSSELS, Jun 23 (PRIME) -- Leaders of the E.U. countries on Thursday agreed to prolong the economic sanctions against Russia, European Council President Donald Tusk said on his Twitter page.

“Agreed. The E.U. will extend economic sanctions against Russia for their lack of implementation of the Minsk Agreement,” he said.

Previously, Tusk said that the sanctions will be prolonged for six months. The decision launches a formal procedure of prolongation of the measures currently in effect until July 31.

A source familiar with the matter told PRIME that the E.U. may make a formal decision to roll over the sanctions until the end of June, and the sanctions will be prolonged for six more months without any changes.

In 2014, relations between Russia and the West deteriorated to their worse since the Cold War due to a military conflict in Ukraine. The West introduced sanctions against some Russian individuals and firms and further against the energy and banking sectors. In response, Russia prohibited food imports from some countries, including the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Australia, and Norway.

Under the Minsk-2 agreements signed in February 2015, Ukraine and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics are to keep a ceasefire and withdraw heavy weapons from the contact line, while Ukraine is to amend the constitution considering decentralization, taking into account the two regions. The sides are also to agree on elections in the two regions.

The agreements were to be fulfilled by December 31, 2015, but the deadline was extended as all the sides have failed to implement the agreements in time.

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