EU extends Crimea, Sevastopol sanctions for a year

BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union on Thursday extended restrictions for another year on importing products from, or investing in, Ukraine's Crimea region and Sevastopol, which it believes were illegally annexed by Russia.

The sanctions were rolled over until June 23, 2021. They include a ban on importing products from Crimea or Sevastopol into the 27-nation block, investments, including the purchase of real estate, or operating any tourism services there.

They also ban the export of certain goods or technology used in transport, telecoms and energy or for oil, gas and mineral resource exploration.

The measures were first introduced in June 2014 in what EU headquarters said was a 'œresponse to the attempts to deliberately undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity and destabilize the country.'ť

The EU imposed separate sanctions on Russia over its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and refuses to recognize Moscow's authority there. Asset freezes and travel bans have also been slapped on some Crimea officials.

EU leaders are likely to approve an extension on some of those sanctions at a summit on Friday.