BRUSSELS, March 13 - The European Union on Monday said it had extended sanctions against Russia, imposed over the annexation of Crimea and supporting rebels in eastern Ukraine, for another six months, Reuters reported.

The sanctions, including travel restrictions and asset freezes against 150 people and 38 companies, would be extended until Sept. 15, the European Council said.

“An assessment of the situation did not justify a change in the sanctions regime,” the Council said in a statement.

After annexing Crimea in 2014, in a move that has not been recognized internationally, Russia said it would not return the region.

The EU and other Western countries say Russia has also been providing a lifeline to separatists in eastern Ukraine, where a conflict has killed more than 10,000 people since 2014.

President Petro Poroshenko on March 2 welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to prolong sanctions against Russia over Ukraine.

"A clear message to the aggressor that the restrictive measures will be staying in force until the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is restored," Poroshenko said. "Neither propaganda, nor rattling arms, nor energy blackmailing would undermine the pro-Ukrainian coalition!"

Trump earlier this month announced that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660 against Russia over Ukraine will be prolonged for another year.

On December 19, 2014, the then U.S. President Barack Obama issued Executive Order 13685, to take additional steps to address the Russian occupation of the Crimea region of Ukraine.

"The actions and policies addressed in these Executive Orders continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared on March 6, 2014, and the measures adopted on that date, on March 16, 2014, on March 20, 2014, and on December 19, 2014, to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond March 6, 2018," the statement said.

The sanctions are prolonged every 12 months. (rt/nr/ez)