EU ministers extend sanctions against Russia

At a meeting in Brussels, EU foreign ministers have agreed to extend existing sanctions against Russia to September, but they did not agree on imposing new sanctions on the country. Ministers also agreed to lengthen the list of people being targeted for EU travel bans and asset freezes, the BBC reports.

The meeting follows renewed fighting in the Ukrainian crisis, with Moscow continuing to deny its involvement in the fighting. The meeting was called after the government-held port of Mariupol was shelled at the weekend, killing at least 30 people, and Ukraine blaming rebels for the attack.

Nato reports that hundreds of Russian tanks and armoured vehicles are currently in east Ukraine, and Moscow denies direct involvement but says some Russian volunteers are fighting alongside the rebels.

Meanwhile negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and Europe are due to hold fresh peace talks in an attempt to end the surge of violence in Ukraine.

Tensions were running high ahead of Friday's talks after the EU hit Moscow with more sanctions over its role in the fighting.

The Belarus foreign ministry said that the talks in Belarus's capital, Minsk, would bring together a group of representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

A previous round of talks in the city lead to the 'Minsk Protocol' in September, a ceasefire agreement that has been routinely broken since it was agreed to. Both sides continue to blame each other for the infringements.

According to the UN, the conflict which began in 2013, has already left over 5,100 fatalities.