an hour agoEU sanctions towards Russia to take effect today
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)A first round of European Union sanctions on Russia will take effect Wednesday, an EU diplomat said, introducing more politicians to the blacklist and halting trade between the EU and two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised on Monday, on 21 [...]
Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised separatist regions in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine on Monday, deepening Western fears of a major war in Europe.
The EU chose not to sanction Putin itself, but instead to put on the blacklist all members of the Russian parliament's lower house who voted in favour of recognising breakaway regions, freezing any assets they have in the EU and preventing them from travelling in the bloc.
Banks involved in financing separatist activities in eastern Ukraine will also be targeted and the two regions will be removed from a free trade agreement between the EU and Ukraine.
The impact of new sanctions on banks and restrictions on the Russian government's ability to raise capital on EU financial markets is likely limited.
Western governments are, for now, prefer to keep in reserve the much larger sanctions package planned if the crisis escalates.
The sanctions, already adopted in principle by foreign ministers Tuesday and confirmed by ambassadors Wednesday morning, still need formal approval by the foreign ministers.
It is normally a formality, and sanctions will enter into force once it is published in the official EU newspaper, a step expected later Wednesday. / REL/
