No outcome reached at the EU-Ukraine-Russia meeting

“Today’s steps support the US commitment to seek a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine by maintaining our sanctions on Russian Federation”, the Treasury said in a statement.

The EU has previously linked the duration of their sanctions to the complete implementation of the Minsk Agreements, which was expected to take place by 31 December 2015.

The U.S. measures were announced a day after the European Union extended economic sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine until the end of July, drawing a swift rebuke from the Russian economy minister. That agreement compelled Moscow to withdraw forces and materiel from eastern Ukraine’s front lines, release prisoners, allow the Western-backed government in Kiev to reassume control over its borders and provide unfettered access to worldwide monitors.

Malmstroem said “there was not enough flexibility on the Russian side” during what was the 22nd round of talks between the three sides over nearly 18 months.

Last week, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi pushed for a discussion on the issue but failed to get sanctions on to the formal agenda during the Brussels EU summit. “We want to normalise relations (in trade) with our partners – with Ukraine and with the European Union”, Interfax news agency quoted Putin as saying.

German plans to build a second pipeline – Nordstream 2 – to carry Russian gas under the Baltic Sea added to Renzi’s frustration.

The sanctions, which have weighed on a Russian economy struggling with the slump in oil prices, target Russia’s financial, energy and defense sectors, as well as so-called dual-use technologies that have both military and commercial purposes.

Rome reportedly sees it as hypocritical that Berlin should pursue a major deal when the rest of the bloc is being asked to sacrifice their interests in order to lay down the law to Russian Federation.

The sanctions were initially introduced for one year on July 31, 2014, in response to Russia’s actions in the east of Ukraine.

Besides the economic sanctions, the European Union earlier imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Russian and Ukrainian individuals blamed for the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

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