EU leaders agree to extend sanctions against Russia

The European Union (EU) has effectively agreed to keep economic sanctions against Russia in place until a ceasefire aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine is fully implemented.

EU leaders reached the agreement during a summit in the Belgian capital, Brussels, on Thursday.

The 28-nation bloc accuses Moscow of instigating the situation in neighboring Ukraine. A formal decision by the EU leaders is still needed to officially extend the sanctions, which will expire in July.

European Council President Donald Tusk said the EU leaders “agreed that the duration of economic sanctions will be clearly linked to the complete implementation of the Minsk agreements, bearing in mind that this is only foreseen by the end of 2015.”

The AFP photo shows European Council President Donald Tusk during a press conference ahead of the European leaders summit at the European Council, in Brussels on March 19, 2015.

The sanctions could be extended to the end of the year if the unrest in eastern Ukraine is not settled, Tusk added.

European governments have been at odds on the implementation of further sanctions against Moscow.

The deal was put together by Tusk, along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande.

Russia has been targeted by a series of sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union for allegations that Moscow is arming and supporting pro-Russian forces fighting in eastern Ukraine. The sanctions also include visa bans and asset freezes of a number of Russian individuals.

The Kremlin, however, calls the accusation “groundless”.

The two mainly Russian-speaking regions of Donetsk and Lugansk have been hit by deadly clashes between pro-Russia forces and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations in April last year to crush pro-Russia protests. More than 6,000 people have been killed.

The two sides reached the Minsk deal at a summit attended by the leaders of Russia, France, and Germany in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk in February. The agreement introduced measures such as a ceasefire, which took effect on February 15, the pullout of heavy weapons and constitutional reforms in Ukraine by the end of the year.