MOSCOW, August 31 (RIA Novosti) -The final decision of the European Union on furthering the economic sanctions against Russia will depend on the evolution of the situation in Ukraine, said the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy.
“Further steps depend on the evolution of the situation on the ground. And so we will assess the situation which is worsening every day, but there is no precise criteria,” said the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy on a press-conference following the EU Summit in Brussels, adding that decisions have to be made quickly.
Van Rompuy has also said that the consultations of the EU member-states on sanctions against Russia will begin early next week. “The decision-making process is speeded up in a way that is unprecedented since the outbreak of the crisis,” he added.
On the EU Summit held in Brussels on August 30, the European leaders have urged the European commission to come up with proposals for new economic sanctions against Russia within one week.
The European Union together with the United States imposed several rounds of economic sanctions, targeting Russia’s defense, energy and banking sectors.
Russia reacted by introducing a one-year ban on certain food imports from the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia and Norway. The list of banned products includes meat, fish, fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
