‘EU to press ahead with Russia bans’
The European Union (EU) will continue to impose fresh sanctions on Moscow despite a Russian-backed ceasefire deal recently reached between the Ukrainian government and pro-Moscow forces, the European Commission (EC) says.
“The package is due to be formally implemented by the [EU] member states through a written procedure later today,” EC spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde-Hansen said on Monday.
Details of the measures will be released in Official Journal of the European Union on Tuesday at its latest issue, she added.
The EC spokeswoman also noted that the bans would be “reversible” depending on the situation in eastern Ukraine.
The fresh sanctions will reportedly target 24 people.
Diplomatic sources say major state-owned oil firms, including Rosneft, are on the new EU sanctions list.
Russia has warned that it could block international flights through its airspace if the EU goes ahead with the measures over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the bans against Moscow could trigger an “asymmetric” response from his country.
Brussels has so far imposed sanctions such as travel bans and asset freezes against Russian, Crimean and other pro-Russia figures. The restrictions were imposed after a decision by Ukraine’s then autonomous region of Crimea to rejoin the Russian Federation in March.
Kiev and Western powers accuse Moscow of having a hand in the crisis in eastern Ukraine, but Russia denies the allegation.
Following negotiations in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk on September 5, Kiev and the pro-Russians inked a Russian-proposed ceasefire pact aimed at putting an end to heavy clashes in Ukraine’s eastern areas.
SSM/AB/HMV