The European Union has adopted a new round of sanctions against Russia’s economy today, but also announced they are delaying the implementation indefinitely, because of the ongoing ceasefire in eastern Ukraine.
Though the sanctions were nominally meant to “punish” Russia for the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine, the decision to delay over the ceasefire is surprising, as the EU finalized the sanctions deal after the ceasefire had already been agreed upon.
The delay underscores the divide between the US and the European Union on the sanctions against Russia, as US officials have made it clear they’ll continue to push the sanctions irrespective of what happens in Ukraine.
EU officials seemed to be expressing some hope that the ceasefire wouldn’t hold, and that the sanctions could be implemented in a few days. If it does hold, the officials say that they may review the sanctions entirely.
