On Monday, European Union decided to impose travel bans and asset freezes on 21 people deemed for violating Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
German Foreign Affairs Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the list includes eight Crimean and ten Russian politicians, and three Russian military chiefs, including the commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet – Alexander Vikto.
The US also named four Ukrainians in an asset freeze and visa ban, on top of seven Russians sanctioned for events in Crimea. The Ukrainian names include: former president Viktor Yanukovych; Viktor Medvedchuk, a Yanukovych go-between to Moscow; Vladimir Konstantinov, Crimean parliament speaker; and Sergey Aksyonov, new Crimean Prime Minister.
At the meeting in Brussels, Foreign Affairs Council decided that in “in the light of the last week’s situation in Crimea and a lack of results” it is necessary to apply restrictive measures “against the people responsible for actions that violate or threaten Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence, including the actions violating the Ukraine’s Constitute which are related to future status of any part of the territory” as well as against persons and entities related to them. There restrictive measures include visa bans and asset freezes.
“EU does not recognise illegal “referendum” and its outcome. Referendum was held in presence of Russian military troops and in circumstances that include harassing civilian activists and journalists, shutting down Ukrainian TV channels as well as civil traffic disruptions to and from Crimea. In addition to this, there are clear signs of increasing Russian military build-up, while the international observers the OSCE and UN have been denied access to the peninsula. EU condemns further negative developments, which are in clear violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” as stated in the Council conclusions.
“The Council recalls the statement of the EU Heads of State and Government of 6 March which set out that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia needed to start within a few days and produce results within the limited timeframe,” the conclusions underline.
“The European Union remains ready to support facilitating dialogue between Ukraine and Russia. We urge Russia to take steps to de-escalate the crisis, immediately withdraw its forces back to their pre-crisis numbers and garrisons in line with its international commitments, begin direct discussions with the government of Ukraine and avail itself of all relevant international mechanisms to find a peaceful and negotiated solution, in full respect of its bilateral and multilateral commitments to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In this respect, the EU regrets that the UNSC was not able to adopt a resolution, owing to a veto by the Russian Federation,” as stated in the Council conclusions.
EU Foreign Affairs Council urges the Russian Federation “not to take steps to annex Crimea, because such an event would be in clear breach of international law” and to “return to developing strategic partnership with the EU instead of isolating itself further diplomatically and economically.”
The Council considers that there is “an urgent need for an international presence on the ground throughout Ukraine, including in Crimea” and it supports the swift deployment of an OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.
The Council welcomes the Commission’s proposal for temporarily removing customs duties on Ukrainian exports to the EU and looks forward to its swift adoption.
The Council also welcomes “the signing of the political provisions of the Association Agreement on 21 March in Brussels, and confirms its commitment to proceed to the signature of the remaining parts of the Agreement.”
“These steps will confirm Ukraine’s free and sovereign decision to pursue Ukraine’s political association and economic integration with the European Union,” as stated in the EU Foreign Affairs Council conclusions.
The European Union is ready to stand by Ukraine and committed to provide strong financial support to its economic and financial stabilisation, as presented by the European Commission in its assistance package to Ukraine which we are committed to implement rapidly.
