Slovak PM: Sanctions against Russia would not help Ukraine ceasefire

PRAGUE (Reuters) - New or extended European Union sanctions against Russia would not help the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Friday, though he added he would not go against the bloc's consensus. EU leaders are due to discuss sanctions on Russia, imposed over the Ukraine conflict, at a summit next week. Some member states are pushing for a decision on extending sanctions due to expire in July. A senior EU official said on Friday there was no unanimity yet on the issue. "The ceasefire needs to be supported and we will hardly support it by saying that we will bring some new and further and further sanctions," Fico said after meeting his Czech counterpart. "But at the end of the day I have no reason to go against the unity of the European Union as such." (Reporting by Robert Muller; Writing by Jason Hovet; Editing by Andrew Heavens)