EU to Shelve Extension of Economic Sanctions Against Russia Until July

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There is no consensus among European Union leaders on issue to extend sanctions against Russia, according to a high ranking EU representative.

European Commission headquaters in Brussels, Belgium - Sputnik International
EU Extends Ukraine-Related Sanctions of Individuals to September 15
BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – European Union leaders will most likely not decide to extend economic sanctions against Russia until July because of the lack of a consensus, a high ranking EU representative said Friday.

"In regard to the issue of sanctions that expire in July, [EU leaders] will discuss this, but I currently don't see any consensus in the [European] Council on this," the EU representative said on the condition of anonymity.

According to the official, "the majority will probably announce that this will be discussed in July."

Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland at Shevchenko University, Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 8, 2014 - Sputnik International
US Continues Bilateral Talks With EU Regarding New Anti-Russia Sanctions
The European Commission is due to host another meeting before the end of March. The EU sector-wide sanctions imposed against Moscow over its alleged role in the Ukraine crisis are due to expire in July 2015. The restrictions target Russia's energy, defense and banking sectors.

Speaking at the EC headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that a failure to implement the new Minsk agreement will result in further sanctions against Russia.

The Minsk deal refers to an agreement on Ukrainian reconciliation brokered in Belarus in February. The deal stipulates a ceasefire, in force from February 15, and the withdrawal of heavy weaponry by both Kiev forces and eastern Ukraine militia.

Czech President Milos Zeman said last week that there was no reason to slap Moscow with more sanctions since the ceasefire deal was generally holding.

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