BRUSSELS, Sept. 30 - The European Union decided on Tuesday to keep in place a package of economic sanctions against Russia over its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine despite what it called "encouraging developments" on the ground after a ceasefire deal, Reuters reported.

The 28-nation EU has imposed sanctions on Russia's finance, defense and energy sectors and has frozen the assets of some 140 Russian and Ukrainian individuals and companies over Moscow's role in Ukraine.