Russia regrets EU decision to prolong sanctions

Russia has regretted a decision by the European Union to renew economic sanctions on Moscow over the crisis in Ukraine, the Kremlin says.

"We still regret and we believe that such decisions run counter to the interests of the EU member countries and Russia," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

His remarks came a day after the EU leaders agreed to extend economic sanctions against Russia for another six months over what they say is Moscow’s interference in Ukraine, which is not an EU member.

The Russian official described the sanctions as “illegal”, but he expressed his country’s interest in better ties with the EU.

"The Russian Federation still considers these sanctions illegal and wrong in themselves. Yet, we are still on a course for better relations with Brussels that now leave much to be desired," Peskov said.

The EU accuses Russia of violating EU-brokered peace deals, known as Minsk agreements, in eastern Ukraine, where there has been an armed conflict between the ethnic Russian-speaking population and the Ukrainian government since 2014.

SS