12:00
17.3.2014
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, speaking in Brussels March 17, described Russia's actions in Crimea as an "anschluss," referring to Nazi Germany's annexation of Austria in 1938.
"We have an 'anschluss' of Crimea which cannot go unanswered by the international community. The referendum was not constitutional, nor legal and the choice of Crimea will not be recognized by the international community and this means that the EU will do what it said it will."
"We have an 'anschluss' of Crimea which cannot go unanswered by the international community. The referendum was not constitutional, nor legal and the choice of Crimea will not be recognized by the international community and this means that the EU will do what it said it will."
12:32
17.3.2014
Russia has proposed setting up what it calls a "support group" to mediate the Ukraine crisis.
Here are some details of the proposal, contained in a statement on the Foreign Ministry's website.
Noting the "inadmissibility of a revival of neo-Nazi ideology," the statement says Ukraine should
-- implement the February 21 agreement. That's the Western-brokered deal that was forged between the then opposition and Viktor Yanukovych, the day before he was ousted as president.
-- revise the constitution
-- declare Russian a second official language
-- decentralize power by turning the country into a federal state and giving broad powers to the regions
-- recognize Crimea's right to determine its future in accordance with the outcome of Sunday's referendum
It notes that Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and its military and political neutrality should be guaranteed by Russia, the European Union, and the United States and backed by a UN Security Council resolution.
Here are some details of the proposal, contained in a statement on the Foreign Ministry's website.
Noting the "inadmissibility of a revival of neo-Nazi ideology," the statement says Ukraine should
-- implement the February 21 agreement. That's the Western-brokered deal that was forged between the then opposition and Viktor Yanukovych, the day before he was ousted as president.
-- revise the constitution
-- declare Russian a second official language
-- decentralize power by turning the country into a federal state and giving broad powers to the regions
-- recognize Crimea's right to determine its future in accordance with the outcome of Sunday's referendum
It notes that Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and its military and political neutrality should be guaranteed by Russia, the European Union, and the United States and backed by a UN Security Council resolution.
12:35
17.3.2014
Carl Bildt says it's a bit reminiscent of Yalta
12:46
17.3.2014
13:00
17.3.2014
13:06
17.3.2014
More from RFE/RL's news desk on the EU sanctions:
Correspondents say they are expected to expand the list to include more senior figures closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Monday that Europe needs to send the "strongest possible signals" to Russia when deciding to impose sanctions. A sanctions announcement from the United States is also expected Monday.
13:37
17.3.2014
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on top Russian officials over Crimea.
Here is the list from the White House:
1. Yelena Mizulina [State Duma Deputy, born December 9, 1954]
2. Leonid Slutsky [State Duma Deputy, born January 4, 1968]
3. Andrei Klishas [Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Law, Judicial and Legal Affairs and the Development of Civil Society, born November 9, 1972]
4. Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko [Federation Council Speaker, born April 7, 1949]
5. Dmitry Olegovich Rogozin [Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, born December 21, 1963]
6. Vladislav Yurievich Surkov [Presidential Aide to the President of the Russian Federation, born September 21, 1964]
7. Sergey Glazyev [Presidential Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, born January 1, 1961]
Here is the list from the White House:
1. Yelena Mizulina [State Duma Deputy, born December 9, 1954]
2. Leonid Slutsky [State Duma Deputy, born January 4, 1968]
3. Andrei Klishas [Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Law, Judicial and Legal Affairs and the Development of Civil Society, born November 9, 1972]
4. Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko [Federation Council Speaker, born April 7, 1949]
5. Dmitry Olegovich Rogozin [Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, born December 21, 1963]
6. Vladislav Yurievich Surkov [Presidential Aide to the President of the Russian Federation, born September 21, 1964]
7. Sergey Glazyev [Presidential Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, born January 1, 1961]
13:43
17.3.2014
The U.S. sanctions order also names four other individuals "for their actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine and in undermining the Government of Ukraine. They are Crimea-based separatist leaders Sergey Aksyonov and Vladimir Konstantinov; former Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Viktor Medvedchuk; and former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych."
14:30
17.3.2014
From the White House's factsheet on the sanctions order:
"Today’s actions send a strong message to the Russian government that there are consequences for their actions that violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including their actions supporting the illegal referendum for Crimean separation. The United States, together with international partners, will continue to stand by the Ukrainian government to ensure that costs are imposed on Crimean separatists and their Russian backers. Today’s actions also serve as notice to Russia that unless it abides by its international obligations and returns its military forces to their original bases and respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the United States is prepared to take additional steps to impose further political and economic costs."
· Vladislav Surkov: Surkov is being sanctioned for his status as a Presidential Aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
· [Sergei] Glazyev: Glazyev is being sanctioned for his status as a Presidential Adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
· Leonid Slutsky: Slutsky is being sanctioned for his status as a State Duma deputy, where he is Chairman of the Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration, and Relations with Compatriots.
· Andrei Klishas: Klishas is being sanctioned for his status as a Member of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and as Chairman of the Federation Council Committee of Constitutional Law, Judicial, and Legal Affairs, and the Development of Civil Society.
· Valentina Matviyenko: Matviyenko is being sanctioned for her status as Head of the Federation Council
· Dmitry Rogozin: Rogozin is being sanctioned for his status as the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
· Yelena Mizulina: Mizulina is being sanctioned for her status as a State Duma Deputy.
· [Sergei] Aksyonov: Aksyonov is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. Aksyonov claims to be the Prime Minister of Crimea and has rejected the authority of the legitimate government in Kyiv.
· Vladimir Konstantinov: Konstantinov is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. Konstantinov is the speaker of the Crimean parliament, which on March 11, 2014, declared independence from Ukraine.
· Viktor Medvedchuk: Medvedchuk, leader of Ukrainian Choice, is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. He is also being designated because he has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support to Yanukovych and because he is a leader of an entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine and actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.
· Viktor Yanukovych: Former Ukrainian President Yanukovych is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. After abandoning Kyiv and ultimately fleeing to Russia, Viktor Yanukovych called upon Russian President Vladimir Putin to send Russian troops into Ukraine.
"Today’s actions send a strong message to the Russian government that there are consequences for their actions that violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including their actions supporting the illegal referendum for Crimean separation. The United States, together with international partners, will continue to stand by the Ukrainian government to ensure that costs are imposed on Crimean separatists and their Russian backers. Today’s actions also serve as notice to Russia that unless it abides by its international obligations and returns its military forces to their original bases and respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the United States is prepared to take additional steps to impose further political and economic costs."
· Vladislav Surkov: Surkov is being sanctioned for his status as a Presidential Aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
· [Sergei] Glazyev: Glazyev is being sanctioned for his status as a Presidential Adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
· Leonid Slutsky: Slutsky is being sanctioned for his status as a State Duma deputy, where he is Chairman of the Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration, and Relations with Compatriots.
· Andrei Klishas: Klishas is being sanctioned for his status as a Member of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and as Chairman of the Federation Council Committee of Constitutional Law, Judicial, and Legal Affairs, and the Development of Civil Society.
· Valentina Matviyenko: Matviyenko is being sanctioned for her status as Head of the Federation Council
· Dmitry Rogozin: Rogozin is being sanctioned for his status as the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
· Yelena Mizulina: Mizulina is being sanctioned for her status as a State Duma Deputy.
· [Sergei] Aksyonov: Aksyonov is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. Aksyonov claims to be the Prime Minister of Crimea and has rejected the authority of the legitimate government in Kyiv.
· Vladimir Konstantinov: Konstantinov is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. Konstantinov is the speaker of the Crimean parliament, which on March 11, 2014, declared independence from Ukraine.
· Viktor Medvedchuk: Medvedchuk, leader of Ukrainian Choice, is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. He is also being designated because he has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support to Yanukovych and because he is a leader of an entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine and actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.
· Viktor Yanukovych: Former Ukrainian President Yanukovych is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. After abandoning Kyiv and ultimately fleeing to Russia, Viktor Yanukovych called upon Russian President Vladimir Putin to send Russian troops into Ukraine.