KIEV: The West hit Russia with new sanctions over its role in the Ukraine conflict yesterday after Kiev admitted losing more ground to the rebels, but Moscow angrily accused its foes of trying to wreck the push for peace.
President Barack Obama announced that the United States would intensify punitive measures against Moscow over its “illegal actions” in Ukraine to further isolate the Kremlin despite a ceasefire deal between Kiev and the pro-Russia separatists unveiled six days ago.
Just a few hours earlier, the European Union had said it would impose fresh sanctions on Russia on Friday but held out the prospect that they could be lifted after a review of the truce at the end of September.
The coordinated announcements came after Kiev and Nato said around 1,000 Russian troops remained in Ukraine after allegedly crossing the border to bolster the separatist rebellion in what has been described as an invasion by stealth.
Kiev also acknowledged that the insurgents have extended their control over territory on the eastern border to the Sea of Azov after a lightning counter-offensive last month reportedly backed by elite Russian forces.
But Moscow blasted the move by the European Union, its biggest trading partner. “By taking this measure, the EU has practically decided against the process of a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis,” the foreign ministry said, urging Europe to give Ukraine “a chance for peace”.
The EU move had been delayed after some member states — wary that further reprisals by the Kremlin could hit their own fragile economies — had said they wanted to wait and see what happened on the ground in Ukraine.
Among the latest punitive measures, major Russian oil companies and defence companies will be barred from seeking finance on European capital markets.
Twenty-four people including rebel leaders in eastern Ukraine, the government in Russian-annexed Crimea, “as well as Russian decision-makers and oligarchs,” were added to a list of individuals facing EU travel bans and asset freezes. The EU announcement sent the rouble plunging to new record lows.
Russia has already threatened to bar EU airlines from its airspace and responded to the latest measures by saying it has drawn up a list of targeting imports of consumer goods and second-hand cars. Van Rompuy said the EU could “amend, suspend or repeal” the sanctions depending on the results of a comprehensive review of the ceasefire at the end of the month.
AFP
