Will the EU prolong economic sanctions against Russia?

Will they or won’t they? EU sanctions on Russia are up for renewal again in the summer of 2016. And Brussels is increasingly playing its favourite parlour game of guessing whether the sanctions will be extended.

European politicians of every stripe, most recently in the French National Assembly, have grumbled about the sanctions since they were imposed on Russia two years ago. This has raised the prospect of the EU’s unity on Russia falling apart and sanctions not being extended – in spite of negligible progress on implementation of the Minsk agreement and increased fighting in Donbas.

But despite this vocal opposition, it’s looking likely that the sanctions will be renewed when leaders meet at the European Council on 28-29 June 2016.

ESO: Background information: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-declaration-by-the-high-representative-on-behalf-of-the-eu-on-the-alignment-of-certain-countries-concerning-restrictive-measures-in-respect-of-actions-undermining-or-threatening-the-te-2/

ESO: Key Source: EU sanctions against Russia over Ukraine crisis http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-sanctions-against-russia-over-ukraine-crisis/

ESO: Key Source: Euromaidan - Protests in Ukraine 2013 - 2015 - Key source http://www.europeansources.info/record/euromaidan-protests-in-ukraine-2013-2015/

ESO: Background information: To Be or Not to Be? Ukraine’s Minsk Process http://www.europeansources.info/record/to-be-or-not-to-be-ukraines-minsk-process/

Reuters, 19.05.16: EU seen on track to extend economic sanctions on Russia: sources http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-eu-russia-idUSKCN0YA134

ECFR: Commentary, 23.06.16: Russia sanctions and magical thinking http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_european_sanctions_and_magical_thinking_7049

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