EU Greenlights Russian Sanctions Package, UK Announces Further Sanctions
The EU and the U.K. announced restrictive measures Feb. 22 on Russian individuals and entities in response to Russia mobilizing troops in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
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EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell laid out a sanctions package that includes 351 members of the Russian State Duma. Restrictions were also placed on 27 individuals and entities threatening Ukraine, operating in the defense sector, engaging in a "disinformation war" against Ukraine and financing Russian military leaders. The EU banned trade between it and Donestsk and Luhansk -- the regions entered by Russia under the excuse of "peacekeeping" -- and limited the ability of the Russian government to access EU financial markets.
"The grave violations that Russia is committing will not go unanswered. They are not going unanswered," Borrell said. "We are strongly united in this front, and we will raise the level of sanctions substantially, according to the Russian behavior. ... There is a big question mark on what is going to happen with the rest. We will continue being vigilant. The consensus, the unanimity reached today does not mean that we are at the end of the story."
U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced restrictive measures will be placed on members of the Russian Duma and Federation Council who voted to recognize Donetsk's and Luhansk's independence. Additionally, over the next few weeks, the U.K. will extend the territorial sanctions imposed on Crimea to "non-government controlled territory" in Donetsk and Luhansk, Truss said.
"In the event of further aggressive acts by Russia against Ukraine, we have prepared an unprecedented package of further sanctions ready to go. These include a wide ranging set of measures targeting the Russian financial sector, and trade," Truss said. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier announced the sanctions on five Russian banks and three oligarchs (see 2202220021).