The European Union on Monday extended economic sanctions against Russia until July 2016, a move that comes as the country's economy continues to struggle amid falling oil prices and inflation.
The sanctions were originally imposed against Russia for one year on July 31, 2014 following Russia's seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region and then extended by six months because Russia failed to comply with a cease-fire agreed upon in Minsk, Belarus, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The sanctions could be lifted in their entirety if Russia complies with the accord, and while EU officials say that Moscow has made progress on adhering to the deal, Kiev still does not have control of the border with Russia, which was a key element of the agreement.
"The sanctions are very important in keeping Russia on track and narrowing their space of maneuver in Eastern Ukraine," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin told reporters in Brussels, according to United Press International.
Russia argues that prolonging the sanctions imposed against it proves that the EU's claim of wanting better relations with Moscow to counter threats such as terrorism is nothing but a lie.
"It is necessary to point out that instead of building constructive cooperation to counter the key challenges of our times such as international terrorism, the EU in Brussels prefers to continue its short-sighted game of sanctions," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement, according to Newsmax.
The EU countered this argument saying that the economic sanctions were rolled over because the accord wouldn't be fully implemented by the end of December, as is required.
"Since the Minsk agreements will not be fully implemented by December 31, the duration of the sanctions has been prolonged whilst the Council continues its assessment of progress in implementation," the EU said.
Though this decision was reached unanimously, it didn't come easily. Some EU nations have sought to re-engage with Moscow to end the war in Syria, while others say there can't be rapprochement until the conditions of the ceasefire have been met.
