Russia sanctions to be maintained, extended – French Foreign Minister

The Council of Foreign Ministers will also adt a decision on sanctions against the Georgian authorities, the minister said on the doorstep of the Council meeting in Brussels, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Today we are making a decision to extend the sanctions regime that stripped Vladimir Putin's Russia of EUR 400 billion, which is equivalent to three years of financing its military assets," the French minister said. According to the t diplomat, the restrictions have already proven their effectiveness, and therefore "will be maintained and extended."

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He added that the EU is going to hd three Russian citizens, two aged 26 and one aged 45, accountable for cyberattacks aimed at destabilizing Estonia.

Barrot said that after the ministerial, the sanctions against representatives of the Georgian authorities would also be announced.

"We plan to suspend visa privileges for diplomats and officials from the Georgian government, on which we once again and very strongly call to end the repression targeting protesters, journalists, and civil society representatives," he said.

EU officials also announced a new support package for Mdova.

"We support Mdova, which is being subjected to ‘energy asphyxiation’ by Russia, which intends, as it has repeatedly done in recent months, to undermine the democratic debate and electoral processes in a country seeking to join the Eurean Union," Barrot detailed.

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As reported earlier, the EU Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs will consider Ukraine, including the extension of restrictive measures already imposed on Russia.

This was announced today by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Picy, Kaja Kallas, ahead of the ministerial.