EU EXTENDS SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA AS MOSCOW WARNS OF ‘NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES’

International Business Times
September 4, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a meeting with students and teachers on the first day of the academic year at the Sirius educational center for gifted children in Sochi, Russia, Sept. 1, 2015. Reuters/Mikhail Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin

The European Union agreed Wednesday to a second extension of sanctions against Russian firms and individuals and Ukrainian separatists, for another six months, until March 2016. On the same day, the United States added 29 more individuals to its sanctions list against Russia, Reuters reported.

The 28-member EU agreed to the extension Wednesday and said it would sign off on it by mid-September,according to reports. The sanctions stem from Russia’s ongoing involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, which has taken the lives of over 6,700 and displaced over 1.4 million people since it started in April 2014. The previous sanctions extension was due to expire on Sept. 15. The sanctions target 150 people and 37 entities, making them subject to asset freezes and travel bans, according to the EU. Although EU countries have taken different stances on how to best end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the sanctions extension shows a united front.

EU amb today agreed 2 extend sanctions on 150 individuals & 37 entities from #Russia,#Crimea & E. #Ukraine to 15 March. official dec 14 sep

— Rikard Jozwiak (@RikardJozwiak) September 2, 2015

The sanctions target key Russian officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak and senior Kremlin official Vladislav Surkov. A ceasefire agreement signed in Minsk in February has failed to stem the bloodshed and put an end to the conflict. A new truce agreed to for the first day of school, on Tuesday, had already frayed by Wednesday, with the Ukrainian government reporting the deaths of two civilians in eastern Ukraine.

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