The Council of the European Union has adopted a decision to extend EU sanctions over actions against the territorial integrity of Ukraine until March 15, 2020, according to the Council’s press release.

"The Council has extended the restrictive measures over actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine for a further six months, until 15 March 2020. The measures consist of an asset freeze and travel restrictions. They currently apply to 170 persons and 44 entities," the press release says.

The relevant information and statement of reasons for the listing of these persons and entities have been updated as necessary.

The decision was adopted by the Council by written procedure. The legal acts will be published in the Official Journal on September 13, 2019.

Other EU measures in place in response to the crisis in Ukraine include economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy, currently in place until January 31, 2020; restrictive measures in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, limited to the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol, currently in place until June 23, 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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