The European Union intends to extend sanctions against Russia for another six months, despite signs of a softening of attitudes in some countries of the bloc, wrote in Thursday's Financial Times, citing sources in Brussels.

Diplomats feared that the issue of extending sanctions against Russia could cause in the next two weeks, a fierce debate between such countries as Hungary, Greece and Italy who would like a review of the constraints, and a more militant Poland and the Baltic States, insisting on the extension of restrictive measures against Moscow.

However, the FT sources in Brussels say that the most "peaceful" EU countries decided to defer consideration of their claims on the revision of the sanctions before the summit in December of this year. However, some EU members are considering the opportunity "to send a political signal" to Moscow that the sanctions policy is approaching a "tipping point," says a senior diplomat involved in the negotiations on the question of limitations.

"Sooner or later we will need a deep and detailed discussion on the issue of anti-Russian sanctions, and I expect that December will be the right time for this, "said another senior source.

Countries to agree on the "automatic extension" of the limitation is partly due to expectations that "this will be the last time we will extend sanctions, at least in full," said another source.

The decision to extend European sanctions against Russia could be taken in the next two weeks.

That the EU agreed to extend imposed sanctions against Russia for another six months, informed Bloomberg wrote, citing six unnamed officials of the EU, including from countries that are "less likely to support sanctions". They said that representatives of all 28 EU member States agreed that restrictions should be followed after the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Bloomberg also noted that the extension of the sanctions, scheduled for June, will postpone the decision about a possible weakening them until December, when the United States changes presidential administration. A senior French official emphasized that in order to withdraw in the short term there is no reason.

At the same time, Italian diplomats, and the diplomatic representatives from other countries, without enthusiasm related to the sanctions, told the newspaper that they are still looking for opportunities for easing measures.