EU Council decides to extend Russia sanctions for half-year

The EU Council decided on March 12 to prolong the restrictive
measures against the Russian government for its actions undermining or
threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine
for a further six months until Sept. 15, 2018. “The sanctions against Russia
are clearly tied to the full implementation of the Minsk Accords,” Federica
Mogherini, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy,
told reporters during a March 12 visit to Kyiv. “We discussed the situation in
Donbas and unwavering support from the EU.”

The measures, consisting of asset freezes and travel
restrictions, apply to 150 individuals and 38 entities, the EU Council
statement said. Other EU measures in response to the Ukraine crisis include
restrictive measures in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea, currently
in place until June 23, 2018, and economic sanctions targeting specific sectors
of the Russian economy, currently in place until July 2018.

In his turn, Ukrainian President Poroshenko made
several requests of the EU, including armaments to defend against Russia
military aggression in line with international law. He also called for EU
sanctions against those organizing the Russian presidential elections in Crimea
this Sunday. He also called for the EU and member-states to deny support for
the construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline that will bypass
Ukraine.

Poroshenko and Mogherini also discussed the possible
UN peacekeeping mission in Donbas that would encompass the entire occupied
territory, including the Russian-Ukrainian border. Poroshenko asked the EU to
send its second mission of ambassadors of the EU political security committee
to review the situation in Donbas. The first mission was dispatched in
September 2015.

Zenon Zawada: The EU
remains consistent on maintaining sanctions against Russia, but as we’ve
mentioned, the populist-nationalist tide in Europe poses the threat that they
will begin to be relaxed in the next two years. It’s this expectation of rising
nationalism that is part of why the Russian government refuses to withdraw from
Ukraine.

With the military aggression exhausting Ukraine,
Poroshenko has seen the need to demand more support from the EU. Unfortunately,
he’s likely to meet resistance. We certainly don’t expect the EU to supply any
arms anytime soon, and the Nord Stream 2 project is already causing a divide in
the EU that Russia has been seeking to create.

Numerous EU players have demonstrated themselves to
be far more dependent on Russia than the U.S., and therefore less willing to
challenge Russia.