Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall with his dog Yume, a female Akita Inu, before giving an interview to Japanese Nippon Television and Yomiuri newspaper at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 7, 2016. Sputnik/Kremlin/Alexei Druzhinin via REUTERS

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union extended economic sanctions against Russia by six months on Monday after completing the legislative process for a decision endorsed last week by national leaders at an EU summit.

Sanctions introduced in July 2014 in response to Russian action in Ukraine will now run until July 31, 2017, the European Council confirmed in a statement.