The European Union decided Tuesday to keep a tough package of economic sanctions against Russia in place, saying that the peace plan in Ukraine was not yet fully implemented.
Brussels imposed its latest measures against Moscow earlier this month but with the condition that they could be dropped or amended depending on the results of the review, which had a deadline of September 30.
EU spokeswoman Maja Kojicancic said Tuesday that diplomats from member states agreed there had been "encouraging developments" in "some aspects" of the peace deal agreed between Kiev and pro-Russian rebels earlier this month in Minsk, Belarus.
But she said that "relevant parts of the same protocol will need to be properly implemented".
Kojicancic added that the EU would continue to "closely monitor developments on the ground", and stressed that it would keep the progress of the Ukraine peace deal under review, although she did not set a deadline.
"If the situation on the ground so warrants, the Commission and the EEAS (EU diplomatic service) would be invited to put forward to the Council proposals to amend, suspend or repeal the set of sanctions in force, in all or in part."
EU President Herman Van Rompuy had made the same promise on September 11, after the EU finally agreed on the sanctions following a week of torturous negotiations in which some member states wanted a softer approach towards Russia after it agreed the ceasefire with Kiev.
The measures imposed by the 28-nation bloc targeted major Russian energy, finance and defense companies including oil giant Rosneft and weapons manufacturer Kalashnikov.
The bloc also imposed asset freezes and visa bans on a host of Russian figures including allies of President Vladimir Putin as well as rebels in Ukraine and annexed Crimea.
Ukraine's rival parties signed a 12-point peace plan in Minsk on September 5 in a bid to end the five-month conflict.
The truce was reinforced with a September 20 deal that established a 30-kilometer (18-mile) buffer zone and allows European monitors to report any resumption of bloodshed that has already claimed more 3,200 lives.
Russian media reports this week had suggested that the sanctions could be lifted.
But fighting in Ukraine has continued with the deadliest wave of attacks in a month, with nine soldiers and four civilians killed in 24 hours, officials said Monday, spelling an ominous run-up to October 26 parliamentary polls.
The EU sanctions adopted in September are a toughening-up of measures adopted in July after the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over rebel-held east Ukraine.
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