The European Union extended its economic sanctions on Russia for another six months. U.S. authorities have selected dozens of people and entities over Russia "sanctions evasion".
Bloomberg reported, EU leaders agreed that the penalties should be extended as long as Russia does not respect the cease-fire deal agreed in Minsk in February. The new extended sanction will now expire on January 31 as stated in EU's website. The pressure put on Russia by the EU governments is because they have not fully abided by the peace plan. The negotiated cease-fire was among Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande. All the conditions in the agreement were fulfilled except for the withdrawal of military and equipment from the conflict-scarred region.
EU Bulletin said the response of Russia against the decision of EU was "it would not work over the long term." Russian foreign ministry stated in their website that the EU in Brussels chooses to carry on playing a short-sighted sanctions game instead of creating positive assistance to respond to key challenges of modern times.
The U.S., trying to show their compliance with the EU-Russia sanctions and has chosen dozens of people and entities over Russia, according to EU Observer. The head of the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, John E. Smith, said the list comprises of 14 individuals and entities that complied with the sanctions. As well as the 12 seized entities for operating in the Crimea region of Ukraine. It also includes six Ukrainian separatists and two previous Ukrainian regime members. It also assigns subsidiaries of Russian lenders VTB Bank and Sberbank and arms firm Rostec.
They added that U.S. is protecting Ukraine and they are pressuring Russia to respect the country's peace. Moreover, an insider told EU Observer, EU countries are saying they need to make sure that the sanctions are being followed as how it should be and not be twisted for some companies using subsidiaries, or other structures. Sadly, this suggestion was never taken up.
