BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – On Wednesday, Italy demanded that EU nations debate the extension of the economic sanctions, imposed on Moscow in 2014 and expiring in January, rather than automatically prolonging them for another six months.
"The representatives of Italy said that they agree in the essence [to prolong sanctions]. But they are not yet ready to make a decision at the Coreper level," the source told RIA Novosti.
According to the source, the Italian side, which reportedly was the only party not to accept the prolongation proposal, would prefer to discuss the matter first.
The extension of the anti-Russian sanctions, set to expire in January, will be considered by the leaders of the EU member states at the European Council on December 17-18, according to Italian Ambassador to Russia Cesare Maria Ragaglini.
Relations between Russia and the European Union went downhill in 2014, when Brussels joined Washington in accusing Moscow of fueling the Ukrainian crisis, imposing several rounds of sanctions as a punitive measure.
The Russian authorities have refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive. In response to the Western restrictive measures, Russia announced a one-year food embargo on products originating in states that imposed sanctions, in August 2014. The ban has since been extended for another year.
