EU agrees to prolong Russian sanctions until end of January 2016

The Permanent Representatives of EU Member States have agreed to prolong economic sanctions against Russia until January 31, 2016, a diplomatic source told UNIAN's own correspondent in Brussels.

"We've agreed to maintain economic sanctions against Russia until January 31. The [formal] decision is most likely to be taken without debate at a meeting of the European Council on Foreign Relations, which is scheduled for next Monday," he said.

In addition, he said, it was agreed that a ban on investment in Crimea would be prolonged for another 12 months.

"The decision will be most likely taken this Friday, and without debate (a meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council is scheduled for that day)," the source added.

UNIAN's reference. Russia annexed the Ukrainian territory of Crimea in March 2014 after invading the peninsula with its troops, and then began to destabilize the situation in the Donbas. Later, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) were created, with the direct participation of Russian special forces and the support of Russian army in Donbas, according to Ukraine.

A growing body of evidence shows Russia also supplies weapons to the militants of the DPR and LPR and sends mercenaries and its regular troops to fight in the Donbas.

The European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia and several other countries imposed sanctions against Russia because of its annexation of the Ukrainian territory of Crimea and its destabilization of eastern Ukraine.

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