EU extends Russia sanctions over Ukraine peace deal failures

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is prolonging economic sanctions against Russia for six months for failing to live up to its commitments to the peace agreement in Ukraine. The move comes amid concern that Moscow may be preparing to invade its former Soviet neighbor, but is not linked to the tensions. The measures target Russia’s financial, energy and defense sectors, as well as goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. They are part of a raft of sanctions slapped on Russia in 2014 after it annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, and are tied to respect of the 2015 Minsk peace deal. The EU says it rolled over the sanctions because Russia “did not fully implement” that agreement.