The decision was made despite earlier concerns that Hungary or Slovakia might block the agreement.
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The sanctions list remains unchanged
EU ambassadors reached a preliminary agreement on Friday evening, although the morning negotiations that day did not bring the expected consensus. The procedure for written approval of the decision began only on Saturday morning, EU sources said.
Contrary to previous announcements, no Russian oligarchs were removed from the sanctions list. Slovakia demanded the removal of Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, two businessmen with close ties to Vladimir Putin, threatening to block the extension of sanctions. Ultimately, however, no changes were made in this regard.
Over 2,700 people
On the so-called The EU's blacklist currently includes over 2,700 people and entities linked to Russia's war against Ukraine. The sanctions include an asset freeze and a ban on entry and transit through the EU for natural persons.
EU sanctions are extended every six months, requiring the unanimous consent of all member states. For them to remain in force, the decision had to be made before Sunday, March 15. The agreement means that the sanctions will remain in force until September 2023, when the European Union will again decide on their possible extension.
