EU extends sanctions against Russia

The 28 EU heads of state and government made the decision late on June 22 during a two-day summit in Brussels after German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron gave a briefing on how the Russia-backed militants and Ukrainian forces fighting in eastern Ukraine are adhering to the conditions in the Minsk agreements. The sanctions, which mainly target Russia's banking and financial sectors, were first imposed by Brussels in June and July 2014 as a response to Russian aggression in the eastern part of Ukraine and the invasion and later illegal annexation of Crimea. The sanctions package has been renewed every six months since then. The EU member states' ambassadors will officially prolong the sanctions either at the end of June or beginning of July. Earlier this week, the EU rolled over its investment ban on Crimea by another year, Radio Liberty reports.