MOSCOW, November 21 (RAPSI) – The European Union may extend economic sanctions against Russia, which are to expire on January 31, 2017, for another six months, Bloomberg reported Monday citing unidentified sources.

The decision will be passed at an EU-Ukraine summit in Brussels on November 24, according to Bloomberg.

EU governments may extend anti-Russian sanctions because the key condition set for lifting them, namely full compliance with a pact aimed at stopping the armed conflict in Ukraine, has yet to be fulfilled, Bloomberg quoted European officials as having said.

In the spring of 2014, the EU, the United States and Canada slapped the first sanctions on Russian companies, banks and politicians, freezing their bank accounts, denying them entry and refusing to buy Russian products. The move was linked to the conflict in Ukraine.

In June 2015, the EU foreign ministers approved amendments to the EU decision on sectoral restrictions, thereby extending economic sanctions against Russia until January 31, 2016.  In 2016, the penalties were expanded again.

In response, in August 2014, the Russian government introduced a year-long ban on agricultural imports from the EU, the US, Canada and several other countries that imposed sanctions on Russia. Blacklisted food imports included meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables. In late June 2015, Russia extended the embargo until August 5, 2016, and also excluded young oysters and mussels, any cheese and limited non-lactose dairy products.