New sanctions against Russia not on the table — source

BRUSSELS (TASS): EU foreign ministers will not discuss the possibility of new sanctions against Russia or expulsion of Russian diplomats during a meeting in Brussels on May 10, a source in the EU foreign policy service told reporters on Friday.

“Foreign ministers will not discuss new sanctions or expulsion of diplomats,” the source said. The ministers will discuss Russia’s actions “becoming increasingly more aggressive” from the viewpoint of Brussels, the interlocutor added.

On April 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to apply measures (countermeasures) against unfriendly actions of foreign states. The president ruled to limit or ban, if necessary, the conclusion of employment contracts with Russian nationals by diplomatic missions and consular establishments, representative offices of government authorities and state institutions of foreign countries committing unfriendly actions against Russia. The head of state tasked the government to determine the list of unfriendly foreign states.