The Council of European Union on Wednesday completed the written procedure started on June 26, as a result of which the extension by six months of the sectoral, economic measures against Russia over the situation in eastern Ukraine was approved.

The European Union continues to link the future of these sanctions to the implementation by the Russian side of the Minsk Agreements, a European diplomatic source told Interfax.

"This decision follows an update from President Macron and Chancellor Merkel to the European Council of 22-23 June 2017 on the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. This paved the way for the renewal of sanctions for a further six months," the Council of European Union said in an official communiqué.

"The Council formalized this decision today by written procedure and, in line with the rule for all such decisions, unanimously," the document said.