Ukraine crisis: Russia faces fresh sanctions over Crimea It comes as UN chief Ban Ki-moon visits Russian leaders in Moscow to urge a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Tensions are high in Crimea, where pro-Russia forces seized two bases on Wednesday including Ukraines navy HQ in Sevastopol. Ukraines navy commander was detained, but has now been released. Crimean leaders signed a treaty with Moscow on Tuesday to absorb the peninsula - an autonomous republic in southern Ukraine - into Russia, following a disputed referendum on Sunday. Continue reading the main story image of Gavin Hewitt Analysis Gavin Hewitt Europe editor Over dinner Europes leaders will discuss their next moves. A few more Russian names may be added to the sanctions hat. That is the easy part. The names are already drawn up. The question is whether, this time, they will go after people closer to President Putin. That is less certain. Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the process was expected to be completed this week, Russias Interfax news agency reports . He said Russia was protecting the rights of Russians, and would continue to insist their rights and freedoms are observed fully in the countries where [our] compatriots are living. The crisis comes nearly a month after Ukraines pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was replaced by Western-leaning interim authorities. Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and sailors remain trapped inside military bases on the peninsula, surrounded by heavily armed pro-Russia forces. UK-German call Western leaders have denounced Russias actions in Crimea as a violation of Ukraines sovereignty and a breach of international law. The EU, the US and a number of other countries have already imposed sanctions on Russian and Ukrainian individuals. Ukrainian officers, right, leave a navy base in Novo-Ozyorne. 19 March 2014 Ukrainian officers, right, were forced to leave their navy base in Novo-Ozyorne Washington ordered the freezing of assets and travel bans on 11 individuals, while the EU imposed similar sanctions on 21 people. EU leaders are expected to extend their sanctions on Thursday, possibly including political and military figures close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The BBCs Matthew Price in Brussels says no blinding announcements on sanctions can be expected, and discussions are likely to be very heated. There is a division among EU members between those in the west who favour a cautious approach, and those in the east who fear they could be next, our correspondent adds. Diplomats are talking privately, however, of a wholesale realignment of both European energy policies - to make the EU less reliant on Moscow - and relations with Russia itself, he adds. British Prime Minister David Cameron called German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the EUs response, a Downing Street spokeswoman said. They reiterated that Sundays referendum in Crimea and Russias subsequent actions to annex Crimea are both illegal and agreed that the EU should impose further consequences on Russia, building on the travel bans and asset freezes agreed by European foreign ministers on Monday, she said. UN principles The US has also said it is considering further sanctions. President Barack Obama ruled out US military involvement in Ukraine on Wednesday, saying: We do not need to trigger an actual war with Russia. Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will meet President Putin in Moscow on Thursday and will travel to Kiev on Friday. Mr Ban has called for a solution to the crisis guided by the principles of the UN Charter including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the unity of Ukraine. Ukraines navy headquarters in Sevastopol was one of two bases seized by pro-Russia forces in Crimea on Wednesday. Navy chief Serhiy Hayduk was taken away. His whereabouts were unclear but local media said he had been summoned for questioning by prosecutors. Ukraines Interim President Olexander Turchynov had warned of an adequate response if Cmdr Hayduk and other hostages were not freed. Russia had also urged the Crimean authorities to release him. Mr Turchynov was later quoted by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency as saying that Cmdr Hayduk was released on Wednesday night along with all the other civilian hostages... seized by Russian soldiers and members of the self-declared authorities of Crimea. Ukraine said on Wednesday it was drawing up plans to withdraw its soldiers and their families from Crimea. Security chief Andriy Parubiy said they wanted to move them quickly and efficiently to mainland Ukraine.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 08:08:39 +0000
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