EU Sanctions on Russia to Be Enforced, US could follow

Fresh sanctions targeting key sectors of Russia's economy are to be introduced on Friday, with the EU adding it could lift them in case of a continuous deescalation in Ukraine.

New measures will see the current blacklist expanded by 24 more Russian officials and rebel leaders, who will be imposed visa bans and asset freezes.

The EU says the list will be 119-strong when the new names are added.

Major oil companies Rosneft, Gazprom Neft and Transneft, and five state banks will be barred from financial markets.

The banks are expected to see only a month-long embargo.

EU deals with petroleum and defense companies will be limited, and companies from the bloc will not be able to sell dual-use products to Russia.

The US could follow and issue new restrictions targeting defense, finance and energy.

Russian media reports suggest Washington could impose measures on Sberbank and fave other major financial companies.

Outgoing EU Council President Herman van Rompuy has added a detailed assessment will be made until the end of September as to whether a fragile truce is being upheld in Ukraine's east.

A more stable situation could result in the reversal of some or all sanctions, the Bulgarian National Radio's Brussels correspondent has reported him as saying.

After last week's ceasefire deal which Kiev struck with Donbass rebels, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says most Russian troops, supposedly sent to help separatists, have pulled back from the country.

However, NATO maintains some 1000 troops from Ukraine's eastern neighbor remain there, and 20 000 more are still stationed at the Russian side of the border.

Moscow is expected to deliver a response, with...