Brussels - A decision to expand the individual sanctions list related to the Ukrainian crisis may take effect very quickly, before the end of the week, if it is approved by EU foreign ministers at the Nov. 10 meeting of the European Council, a senior official told reporters on Brussels on Nov. 14 on the condition of anonymity.
The procedure will be quite different for economic measures, which will take more time, the official added.
German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Nov. 11 that the EU was not considering a fresh round of economic sanctions against Russia. The process continues and additional sanctions on a number of Russian individuals are being eyed in connection with the elections in eastern Ukraine, which the EU sees as illegal, she said.
Merkel stressed that new economic sanctions were not on the table for now.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said on Nov. 14 the EU might impose additional sanctions on a group of individuals on Monday in connection with the Ukrainian crisis but said economic sanctions against Russia were not being discussed. He told reporters that he hoped that an agreement on new sanctions would be reached.
