The European Union on Thursday rolled over for another year tough sanctions imposed over Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
The measures prohibit certain exports and imports from Crimea, and ban EU-based companies from investment and tourism services in the strategic Black Sea peninsula.
"The Council today decided to renew the sanctions introduced in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation until 23 June 2021," the EU member states said in a statement.
"The EU still does not recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and continues to condemn this violation of international law."
The EU has imposed a raft of sanctions related to Russia's role in the Ukraine conflict, which has rumbled on since 2014 and claimed more than 13,000 lives.
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