EU extends Russia sanctions for another 6 months

While the cease-fire – negotiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande – has largely held since September, the US and European Union say Russia has not complied fully with the conditions of the plan, which included the withdrawal of military and equipment from the conflict-scarred region.

The sanctions target Russia’s financial, energy and defense sectors as well as some dual-use goods.

The extension was in line with an agreement reached by European Union ambassadors in Brussels on December 18.

“I found it surprising that we should want to confirm the sanctions without first having had a little discussion”, he said after the summit.

EU President Donald Tusk, who chaired the summit, said the talks on Nordstream were heated.

The EU has linked the lifting of the sanctions to full implementation of a peace deal in east Ukraine, where more than 9,000 people have been killed in fighting between Kiev’s forces and Russia-backed separatist rebels since April 2014.

It has also targeted those involved in Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014 with similar measures which expire in June.