EU warns of new sanctions against Russia
November 15, 2014, 8:42 am

Van Rompuy said European Union (EU) leaders will meet US President Barack Obama during the summit to discuss the Ukraine situation [Image: European Council]

A day after Moscow accused the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) special monitoring mission of a pro-Ukraine bias, European Council (EC) President Herman Van Rompuy said on SaturdayEuropean Foreign Ministers are considering further sanctions against Russia.

Speaking at the G20 leaders summit in the Australian city of Brisbane, Van Rompuy said European Union (EU) leaders will meet US President Barack Obama during the summit to discuss the Ukraine situation.

“Russia must stop the inflow of weapons and troops from its territory into Ukraine and Russia must withdraw those already present,” Van Rompuy told reporters.

“EU foreign ministers to meet Monday to assess and discuss possible further steps. Situation in Ukraine is of utmost concern,” he tweeted.

Before landing in Brisbane, Russian President Vladimir Putin had said it was “useless” to discuss the sanctions at the G20 Summit.

“If the subject is raised, I will speak about it, of course, but I am not going to raise these questions for discussion myself. The way I see it, it will be useless. All understand what they are doing, I mean, those who impose the sanctions. What’s the use of drawing attention to this matter or asking for something? It’ll make no sense. Such decisions are made at the level of blocs or at the national level; they are made based on how our partners perceive their geopolitical interests,” he said.

On Saturday, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said the EU would still push for a political settlement of the crisis.

“I want to restate that the European Union continues to believe that there can only be political solution to the crisis. We will continue to use all diplomatic tools, including sanctions, at our disposal,” said Rompuy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Brisbane on Friday night and has met BRICS counterparts during an informal meet ahead of the G20 official opening.

Putin is seeking to rally support from the group even as Western leaders are at loggerheads with the Russian President over what they allege is the Kremlin’s support for pro-Russian rebels in the Ukraine conflict.

UN figures say more than 4000 people have been killed in the conflict since April.

With both Russia and Ukraine, alongwith NATO, alleging renewed troop movement on the border, China has expressed grave concerns over the possibility of more conflict.

China on Wednesday urged all parties in Ukraine to immediately implement the Minsk agreement so as to ensure that ceasefire is achieved.

Nato Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Philip Breedlove has claimed the body can vouch for Russian military equipment and Russian combat troops entering Ukraine this week.

Earlier on Friday, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry agreed in a phone conversation that the Contact Group on Ukraine should resume its work at the earliest.

“Focusing on the situation in Ukraine’s south-east, Lavrov has stressed the importance of implementing the Minsk accords, in particular the ceasefire and streamlining the dialogue between Kiev and Donetsk and Luhansk,” said a Russian Foreign Ministry statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that the sanctions imposed by some G20 members on Russia “run counter to the very principle of G20 activities”.

“Of course, they run counter to the very principle of G20 activities, and not only the activities of the G20 and its principles, they run counter to international law, because sanctions may be introduced only through the United Nations and its Security Council,” said Putin.

TBP