EU extends economic sanctions against Russia

(AGI) Brussels, June 17 - The ambassadors of the 28 EuropeanUnion countries agreed on extending until Jan. 31, 2016economic sanctions against Russia from the deadline that wouldhave expired in July, reported Latvian EU presidency sources.The six-month extension should allow time to assess theimplementation of the Minsk peace agreement regarding Ukraine,which was signed in February and is in effect until the end ofDecember. The agreement will be signed next Monday inLuxembourg by the EU foreign ministers during their monthlymeeting. The agreement reached by ambassadors will be ratifiedwithout ministerial talks, reported the diplomatic source. EUleaders might, however, discuss the issue during the summit totake place on June 25-26. In the meantime, another foreignministers' meeting of the Normandy Quartet (Ukraine, Russia,France and Germany) has been scheduled for June 23 in Paris, asannounced by the French foreign minister. Moscow informed abouta telephone conversation between Russian Foreign MinisterSerghei Lavrov and his German colleague Frank-WalterSteinmeier, during which the two dignitaries highlighted theimportance of immediately stopping combat in the southeasternUkrainian regions, especially artillery attacks againstcivilian dwellings.. .