Russia has extended retaliatory sanctions against the EU till the end of 2018
Russia extended counter-sanctions against Western countries for another year, until December 31, 2018, as stated in an order issued by President Vladimir Putin.
According to the Decree, the government was instructed to ensure measures to implement the Decree, and, if necessary, to make amendments with regard to the duration of the sanctions.
The document comes into force as of the date of its signing.
On June 28th, the European Union extended anti-Russian sanctions until January 31, 2018. The decision was made after a report by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements at the summit of the EU member states leaders on June 22nd-23rd.
The economic sanctions imposed in July and September 2014 due to the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine extend to Russian state-owned banks, the import and export of arms, and the leading enterprises of the Russian oil and gas industry.