International sanctions

European Union (EU) leaders are unlikely to reach an agreement on the prolongation of economic sanctions against Russia at their forthcoming summit next week.

The current sanctions, which are expiring in July, are not likely to be extended as long as the Minsk ceasefire in eastern Ukraine is observed, EurActiv reports.

The EU intends to provide a new financial aid package to Ukraine estimated at EUR 110M in 2015.

The statement was made by European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, TASS news agency reported.

He said that the larger portion of the sum will be utilized to assist the private sector in the country.

Russia is mulling loosening its embargo on agricultural products from some European Union countries, including Greece, President Vladimir Putin?s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told Germany's Stern magazine an economic war with Russia was in no-one's interests and that imposing sanctions on Moscow over the crisis in Ukraine was "hypocritical"

Following the earlier agreed ceasefire in Minsk, the extension of sanctions against Russia will most likely be dropped from the agenda of the informal meeting of the European Council on Thursday.

EU High Representative Federica Mogherini said that she expected no further sanctions against Russia to be discussed at the meeting of heads of state or government, the Moscow Times reports.

Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva announced that the European Commission is not going to compensate dairy producers, who have been affected by the sanctions imposed on Russia.

Last week dairy producers said they would demand support from the Commission as their earnings have decreased since Russia imposed an embargo from the EU.

Bulgaria will demand measures in support of all dairy producers in the EU at the official meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council to be held on 26 January.

This course of action was approved on Wednesday by the Bulgarian government.

Although Bulgarian exporters are seriously injured by the sanctions on Russia, the country will not back away from its current stance and will seek new markets, according to Economy Minister Bozhidar Lukarski.

Bulgaria's Economy Minister met Monday with Ukraine's Ambassador to Bulgaria Mykola Baltazhy.

"Seven EU members support lifting of sanctions"

BRUSSELS, MOSCOW -- Seven EU countries support the lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Russia, a diplomatic source in Brussels told Russia's TASS news agency on Thursday.

"The sanctions' lifting has been supported by Austria, Hungary, Italy, Cyprus, Slovakia, France and the Czech Republic," he said.

EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini has suggested renewal in relations with Russia in the spheres of global diplomacy, trade and other issues on Wednesday.