EU extends sanctions against Russia over ‘elections’ in Crimea

The General Affairs Council has decided to extend sanctions against the Russian Federation by a year in response to a violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

The decision was made without discussion at a meeting of the Council of the European Union, which was held in Brussels on Tuesday, January 28, according to sources in the EU Council.

The Council also added seven persons to the list of those subject to restrictive measures over actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

The decision brings the total number of persons listed by the EU to 177. In addition, the EU imposed an asset freeze on 44 entities under this sanctions regime. The measures consist of an asset freeze, meaning that all of the assets in the EU belonging to these entities are frozen and EU persons and entities cannot make any funds available to them.

The legal acts, including the names of the persons concerned, are available in the EU Official Journal of 28 January 2020.

As known, the European Union in July 2014 introduced economic sanctions against Russia for the illegal annexation of Crimea and actions destabilizing the situation in eastern Ukraine. The sanctions were strengthened in September 2014.

In March 2015, the European Council linked the effect of restrictive measures with Russia's failure to comply with the Minsk agreements. Since then, the EU has been considering the extension of economic sanctions against Russia every six months.

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