The extension of EU sanctions against Russia does not depend on whether or not Russia complies with its obligations under the Minsk agreements, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Jan Tombinski said in an interview with Radio EC - Evropeiska Stantsiya quoted by Evropeiska Pravda.

Failure to fulfill the Minsk agreements was not the reason for the anti-Russian sanctions, Tombinski said. The sanctions were imposed because of the "illegal annexation of Crimea, aggression against Ukraine and violation of Ukrainian sovereignty", he said, adding that everyone making a decision to extend the sanctions would analyze whether reasons for those sanctions remained. He added that the Minsk agreements were reached in a later period for the purposes of stabilization of the political conflict.

It is hard to say what may happen in six months' time, the ambassador said.

The EU understands that Russia is not fulfilling the Minsk agreements, he said.

As to mirror trade sanctions of Ukraine against Russia, Tombinski said such moves would not be a wise decision.

At the same time, the EU agrees that Russia's latest restrictions imposed on Ukrainian trade and transit to Central Asia, mostly Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, openly breached international trade rules.

Tombinski will end his ambassadorial mission to Kyiv in late August. He will be replaced by Hugues Mingarelli in September.