EU must not accept the breach of Minsk Protocol by Russia - Hoofdinhoud
The Foreign Affairs Council's decision of yesterday to proceed with further sanctions against Russian backed separatists who were behind the unauthorised elections in Luhansk and Donetsk on 2 November, is a necessary step.
ALDE MEP, Hans van Baalen (VVD, The Netherlands) welcomes the decision and calls for increased cooperation with Ukrainian authorities:
"The continued fighting and Russian military reinforcements paints a worrisome picture. The Minsk agreement is a good base for a peaceful resolution to the conflict but it will only work if all the parties are committed to the provisions of that agreement. The Commission must work closely with the Ukrainian authorities to make sure that sufficient humanitarian assistance and aid will be delivered in the next weeks, before full blown winter conditions set in."
The European External Action Service and the European Commission were asked by the foreign ministers to present a proposal for decision by the end of this month on additional listings targeting separatists. Around 120 Ukrainian and Russian officials are already under EU asset freezes and travel bans.
The call for action comes also after repeated ceasefire violations in Eastern Ukraine and NATO's assertions, denied by Russia, that Moscow has sent troops and tanks into Eastern Ukraine over the last few days.