The EU has today agreed to extend sanctions against Russia over its ongoing military intervention in Ukraine for a further six months. The Council of the EU has decided to roll-over the measures - consisting of asset freezes and travel restrictions applying to 150 people and 38 entities - until 15 September this year. It said the measures were due to "actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine". In a statement this morning the EU said its latest assessment of the situation "did not justify a change in the sanctions regime". The EU claims Russia has been backing rebel separatists in eastern Ukraine, where the conflict is believed to have killed more than 10,000 people since 2014. The EU also has economic sanctions, targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy, which will be reviewed on 31 July, and further "restrictive measures" in relation to the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, which are in place until 23 June 2018. The update comes as Theresa May convenes another National Security Council (NSC) meeting, ahead of a widely-expected statement formally blaming Russia for the nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury last week. Following the meeting, May is expected to make a statement to parliament. Foreign secretary Boris Johnson has already indicated that if Russia is found to have been behind the attack, sanctions should be expected. |