EU flags
© ะ•ะ ะ/Patrick SeegerIn order to approve the restrictive measures, it is necessary that all the 28 member states sign the news sanctions package
EU countries failed to approve new sanctions against Russia through an automatic written procedure as yet, which led to a necessity to summon an extraordinary meeting of ambassadors of the 28 European Union countries "to discuss the situation".

A diplomatic source from a mission of one of the western European countries informed ITAR-TASS about it on Monday.

The European Commission and the Council of the EU stated earlier on Monday that the approval of sanctions would take place at 15:00 local time (13:00 UTC). To approve the sanctions through a written procedure at the session of the Council of the EU in Brussels, it is necessary that all the 28 states of the EU sign the new package. It may become the first package of measures approved after the start of actual process of de-escalation of the Ukrainian crisis, the signing of the ceasefire agreement at the contact group meeting in Minsk September 5 and the start of negotiations on the political settlement of the conflict.

Earlier ITAR-TASS reported with reference to its source in Brussels that the EU might add another 20 individuals to the black list for Russia and Ukraine. In addition, according to reports of western media, three major state-run oil companies - Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom Neft, as well as several companies of the military industrial sector may fall under sanctions. The EU also intends to reduce the maximum terms of conduit for their debt instruments placed in the EU from 90 to 30 days.

Since March, the EU has imposed sanctions against Russia several times. The latest sanctions package has been published in July. Brussels banned EU investors from selling, supplying or moving equipment and technologies key for creating, acquiring or developing infrastructure projects in several sectors in Crimea and Sevastopol. In addition, it is prohibited to use vessels or planes under the EU jurisdiction for these purposes. The restrictions apply to transport, telecom and energy sectors, as well as prospecting of oil, natural gas and other extractable resources. (Larger image here.)
EU russian sanctions2
© ITAR-TASSThe USA, EU, Canada and Australia have introduced sanctions against Russia over its involvement in the Ukrainian crisis.
As for the black list, the latest time it was extended for 8 people and three companies in late July. In particular, the sanctions list was supplemented by First Deputy Chief of Russian Presidential Administration Alexei Gromov, business people Arkady Rotenberg, Yuri Kovalchuk and Nikolai Shamalov, as well as the Russian National Commercial Bank, missile defense producer Almaz-Antey and Dobrolyot air carrier.