EU should consider extension of sanctions against Russia once a year - Poroshenko

The frequent consideration of the issue of extending sanctions against Russia by the European Union gives Moscow the chance to undermine the unity of Europe, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has stated.

"The European Union must change the schedule of considering the extension of sanctions against Russia and move from semi-annual to annual sanctions, as a frequent return to this issue leads to much debate in the European Union and gives Russia the chance to undermine its unity," he said at the 13th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy "The World, Europe and Ukraine: Storms of Change" in Kyiv on Friday.