Mogherini: EU foreign mins want to prolong anti-Russian sanctions

BRUSSELS, Dec 15 (PRIME) -- A general evaluation of the political situation in Ukraine led the E.U. foreign ministers to a conclusion that the sanctions against Russia must be prolonged, E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters late Monday.

“Politically, let me say, the general assessment today was clearly going in the direction of a rollover of sanctions,” Mogherini said.

The issue will most probably be in the agenda of a European Council meeting on Thursday, Mogherini also said. It will depend on a decision of Donald Tusk, the European Council president, where and at what meeting a decision on the sanctions will be made, she said.

Last week, Italy blocked a decision of the Committee of Permanent Representatives in the E.U. to approve a draft ruling to prolong the anti-Moscow measures for six more months after the expiration of the current program on December 31, 2016. Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said that Italy stands for a discussion, dismissing an earlier offered automatic prolongation.

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