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EU Agrees To Extend Sanctions On Russia

June 17, 2015
by Rikard Jozwiak

BRUSSELS -- European Union ambassadors have voted to extend economic sanctions against Russia to the end of January and prolong an investment ban on Crimea for another year.

EU foreign ministers are expected to approve the six-month extension of the economic sanctions hitting Russia's energy, financial, and military sector at a meeting in Luxembourg on June 22.

The Crimea measures, prohibiting EU companies from investing and importing from the peninsula, can be given the green light already on June 19.

The sanctions were imposed for one year in July 2014 in response to Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March and its alleged support for pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

In March, EU heads of government decided that the duration of the restrictive measures against Russia would be linked to the complete implementation of the Minsk agreement.

Lithuania's EU ambassador, Raimundas Karoblis, told RFE/RL that the scope of the sanctions remained the same and they could be expanded if the situation in eastern Ukraine got worse

'The scope so far is the same: so it's sanctions against banks, sanctions on export of military and dual-use goods and of energy-related technologies,' Karoblis said.

'Probably it reflects the present situation, but also in our view the provisions of the European Council conclusion are also valid that in case of the serious deterioration of the situation in eastern Ukraine also the European Council could come back to this issue for the widening of the scope of the sanctions.'

The economic sanctions were first imposed on Russia in July for a period of 12 months.

EU heads of government decided in March that the duration of the restrictive measures against Russia would be linked to the complete implementation of the Minsk agreement but a final decision on the sanctions was left open.

Some countries, notably Greece, have voiced opposition to a prolongation, but the lack of political progress to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine made it possible for Brussels to unanimously agree on a rollover now.

Karoblis noted that recent statements made by Russia with regards to the expansion of its nuclear arsenal may have had an effect on the decision:

'Maybe some [EU] member states expected that Russia would show some progress and make some steps towards the implementation of the Minsk agreement, but it is not the case,' he said.

Karoblis said that, on the contrary: 'Russia shows also that it is really not changing the stance. Also, there are certain provocations in east Ukraine but not only.

'Generally, some announcement of the further programs which could deteriorate the security situation in Europe -- for example, the installation of new nuclear missiles, including the missiles in the Kaliningrad enclave which is close to my country and Poland -- these steps shows that Russia is not constructive.'

The EU ambassadors also instructed lower-ranking EU diplomats to begin technical preparations for the renewal of asset freezes and visas bans for 150 individuals and 37 entities who, according to Brussels, are responsible for the destabilization of eastern Ukraine.

That list, which includes both Russian and Ukrainian citizens, is valid till September 15, but the EU ambassadors want to extend the date to January 31, 2016.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-ukraine-eu-extends-sanctions/27077363.html

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EU Agrees To Extend Sanctions On Russia