Brussels, 22/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 22 January, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso threatened Ukraine with sanctions as confrontations between the protesters and police continue. Two men have been shot dead in the centre of Kiev, where the violent clashes between the police and protesters are being played out. Nearly 200 people have been wounded and 80 police officers taken to hospital since 19 January, according to Ukraine's minister for home affairs.
“We (…) will continue following closely these developments, as well as assessing possible actions by the EU and consequences for our relations”, Barroso stated. He nevertheless believed that it was too early to say what the possible action might be, adding that the Europeans had several instruments available. He said that the decisions were mainly the responsibility of the member states and should be taken collectively. If Ukraine does not respect the principles of democracy, the EU should react very clearly, he said. On arriving at the Foreign Affairs Council on 20 January, some European ministers were already brandishing the threat of sanctions (see EUROPE 11000). Taking sanctions requires the unanimity of the member states.
Barroso called on “all parties for restraint” and he called on them to “take action to deescalate” this tension. He underlined “the fundamental responsibility of the Ukrainian authorities to now take action to de-escalate this crisis and, in particular, the need for them to engage in a genuine dialogue with the opposition and with civil society on the ways to overcome this deep crisis”.
Leader of the European Parliament's ALDE Group, Guy Verhofstadt, called on the EU to extend its offer of mediation but he warned “the regime of Viktor Yanukovych that the European Union is prepared to go all the way and impose sanctions”. “If sharp words from the EU fall on deaf ears and have little or no effect then targeted EU sanctions should be introduced to force Yanukovych to stop the crack-down on peaceful protestors”, he added.
The US has withdrawn the visas of several Ukrainians - without revealing the identities and the posts of the people concerned. “We are planning other measures against those responsible for the current violence”, said the US ambassador in Ukraine - without giving further detail.
In the view of High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, “the use of force and resort to violence is not an answer to the political crisis. All acts of violence must come to an immediate end and be swiftly investigated. Those responsible will have to be held to account”, she said.
“Deeply concerned” about attacks on journalists and about reports of missing persons, Ashton reiterated that “Ukrainian citizens' rights of assembly, freedom of expression and media must be fully respected and protected”. At least 30 journalists have reportedly been wounded since 19 January.
Ashton again called on the Ukrainian government and opposition to “engage in a genuine dialogue at the highest level. The solution needs to meet the aspirations of the Ukrainian people”, she added.
On 21 January, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle announced that he would visit Ukraine on Friday 24 January (and possibly also Saturday 25 January) in order to meet representatives from the authorities and the opposition, and from civil society. A European Parliament delegation will visit on 28-30 January (see EUROPE 10998).
In Berlin, Andreas Schockenhoff, the deputy leader of the German Christian-Democrat parliamentary group (Chancellor Angela Merkel's party), stated that the EU should “think of possible sanctions”. Lithuania's Minister for Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevicius also believed that “the possibility of applying sanctions” was not to be “ruled out if the violence did not stop”. (CG/transl.fl)