Ukraine: MEPs call for EU sanctions against Russian energy firms
22 Apr 2014 01:32 PM
The EU must step up sanctions targeting individual Russians and be
ready to impose economic sanctions on Russia immediately, MEPs said in a vote
on Thursday. They also called for EU measures against Russian firms and their
subsidiaries, especially in the energy sector, and Russia's EU assets,
against a background of violence designed to destabilise the east and south of
Ukraine.
Parliament is gravely concerned about the fast-deteriorating situation and
bloodshed in the east and south of Ukraine. It urges Russia immediately to stop
supporting violent separatists and armed militias, led by Russian special
forces, as well as to remove its troops from the eastern border of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian authorities have every right to use all necessary measures,
including the right to self-defence under the UN Charter, say MEPs, warning
Russia against using the Ukraine's legitimate right to defend its
territorial integrity as a pretext to launch a full-scale military invasion.
Geneva talks
MEPs hope that the imminent four-party meeting of the EU, the US, Ukraine
and Russia in Geneva could pave the way for a diplomatic solution to the
crisis. They underline, however, that Ukraine’s future choices can be
made only by the Ukrainian people themselves, through a democratic, inclusive
and transparent process. Parliament welcomes, in principle, the idea of holding
a nationwide referendum on future status and territorial set-up as suggested by
Acting President Turchynov.
OSCE mission and Presidential elections
Parliament calls on the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission gathering information on atypical
paramilitary activity, provocative actions and human rights situation in
Ukraine to be expanded.
MEPs stress that no attacks, intimidations or discriminations of Russian or
ethnic Russian citizens or other minorities have been recently reported in
Ukraine.
The text also calls for in-depth missions by the OSCE Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights, the European Union and the European Parliament
to observe Ukraine’s 25 May Presidential elections and rejects any
external pressure to delay them.
Finally, Parliament welcomes the Ukrainian government’s intention to
hold early parliamentary elections.