Luxembourg, 14/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 14 April, European ministers for foreign affairs decided to prepare options to extend the list of people subject to asset freezes and EU visa bans in the context of the Ukrainian crisis. The Council examined the possibility of extending “the list of people subject to sanctions”, said the French minister, Laurent Fabius, as he left and, as we were going to press, the Council was still continuing. The minister from Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn, confirmed this information and said that “we held a calm debate. We are in phase 2. It is possible to extend the list and have one that is a little bit more substantial”. He explained that the Council had requested the ambassadors to work on the question.
On their arrival, ministers appeared divided on the question of introducing new sanctions. William Hague from the United Kingdom said that sanctions had to be the response to the behaviour by Russia, whereas Asselborn said that priority had to be given to the meeting on 17 April and explained that “I think that with sanctions we are not going to solve the problem. Our main task is to do everything to ensure that the meeting on Thursday can take place in a calm atmosphere”. He added that “Russia has already punished itself from the point of view of investments, capital flows away from the country and a decline in the value of the currency. These sanctions are very important”. Carl Bildt from Sweden said that Thursday's meeting could serve as the deadline for any European action and stated that “the Geneva meeting will come soon and this will be an opportunity for beginning the de-escalation. If they continue the escalation, I think we will have to up the ante”.
Fabius says European Council is possible
Fabius mentioned the possibility of a European Council next week, “if necessary”. The French minister said that, “if necessary, a meeting of heads of state and government from the EU could take place”, which could introduce further sanctions. A Council could provide the occasion for introducing economic sanctions but Asselborn said: “I am not sure, anything could happen”. Fabius emphasised that “pressure needs to be increased, without making dialogue impossible”.
The EU would like to try and develop a political solution and de-escalation, pointed out the French minister. He also stated that, before taking any measures, they had to wait for the meeting in Geneva on 17 April between the EU, Ukraine, Russia and the US. When she arrived in Luxembourg, High Representative Catherine Ashton, who was hoping to receive a mandate from the Council, said that the goal of the meeting was to begin discussions on how they could defuse the situation in Ukraine and ensure that a sovereign state was able to go forward in the interest of all its inhabitants. She said that it was absolutely essential that they found an appropriate way in this regard that would bring peace and stability to all the different countries.
Russia's responsibility
Ministers pointed the finger of blame at Russia in the taking over of buildings in eastern Ukraine and, according to Asselborn, the acts of destabilisation have been condemned in the Council's conclusions. Fabius underlined the need to take action and stressed that, “in Eastern and South Eastern Ukraine, there have been acts involving high levels of violence. Russia is responsible for this violence”. Earlier on, Frans Timmermans from the Netherlands said that what was happening in the east of Ukraine was “very, very similar to what happened in the Crimea… if it resembles a horse and walks like a horse and is generally a horse not a zebra”. Eamon Gilmore from Ireland said that it looked like what happened in the Crimea before the annexation. According to the draft conclusions seen by EUROPE, the ministers have called on Russia to give its support to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine and for it to withdraw its troops from the Ukrainian border and immediately withdraw the mandate at the Federation Council to use force on Ukrainian soil. In these draft conclusions, ministers emphasised that “any threat or use of force against Ukraine or other countries is unacceptable and must cease immediately”. (CG and LC)