Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has stressed the strengthening of the international front on countering Russian aggression after the decision by the Council of the European Union to extend economic sanctions against the Russian economy until July 31, 2018.

"I welcome the EU Council decision to extend the economic sanctions against Russia until July 31, 2018 as a symbol of firm transatlantic unity and solidarity with Ukraine," Poroshenko wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.

According to him, together with the Crimean UNGA resolution, decisions of the U.S. and the Canadian administrations regarding the possibility of providing Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons, "the international front to counter the Russian aggressor is getting stronger."

"It is an adequate response to the Kremlin for escalation of the conflict and the targeted undermining of the Minsk arrangements," Poroshenko wrote.

Earlier on Thursday, the Council of the European Union officially resolved to extend sectoral economic sanctions against Russia until July 31, 2018, a communiqué released in Brussels said.

"On 21 December 2017, the Council prolonged economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy until 31 July 2018," the EU Council document said.

The latest extension was politically agreed on by the EU heads of state and government at their summit in Brussels on December 14.