"Restrictive measures will be extended at the technical level for six months. The leaders will not take practical decisions regarding sanctions. They will be prolonged by the (EU) Council, we expect it to happen by the end of the month," he said.
"Chancellor of Germany and President of France will inform the leaders about the progress of talks on the situation in Donbass during the working dinner (on Thursday, December 14). In this regard restrictions against Russia will be touched upon," he said. Earlier another source explained that "the issue of sanctions extension would not be on the agenda."
Economic sectoral sanctions imposed by the European Union against the Russia Federation were extended in June until January 31, 2018. They include financial restrictions concerning leading Russian defense and energy companies, as well as big banks with state ownership. They also ban exports of military and energy technologies and high-tech equipment to the country.
Sectoral measures belong to one of three sanctions packages adopted by the EU against Russia. Two more sanctions tracks are: a black list of Russian physical and legal entities valid until March 2018, and a list of targeted sanctions against Crimea valid until June.
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