"The Vice President noted that as long as Russia continues its blatant disregard of its obligations under the Minsk agreements, the costs for Russia will continue to rise," the release issued Wednesday read.
Despite ceasefire agreements made between Kiev and independence supporters in Minsk last September, the situation in eastern Ukraine deteriorated in the first few weeks of 2015. Most recently, at least 30 people were killed on Saturday as Ukraine’s southeastern port city of Mariupol came under shelling.
The EU foreign ministers plan to extend the anti-Russia sanctions, and will ask the European Commission to add more names to the restrictions list, according to media reports.
European Union, the United States and their allies have imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia in 2014, targeting the country’s banking, energy and defense sectors, as well as several individuals. The West cited Moscow’s alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis as justification for the restrictions. Russia has continuously stated that it is not part of the Ukrainian conflict.
