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Russia Denounces West’s Sanction Threats to Ukraine European Union Imposes Sanctions in Ukraine Crisis
(about 2 hours later)
MOSCOW — Russia on Thursday denounced moves by the United States and Europe to impose sanctions on Ukrainian officials after the eruption of violence in the capital, Kiev, and other cities, saying they amounted to blackmail against the government of President Viktor F. Yanukovych. BRUSSELS — Brushing aside Russian criticism, the European Union agreed on Thursday to go ahead with sanctions that include travel bans and asset freezes imposed on those deemed responsible for the fatal escalation of violence in Ukraine.
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, also criticized a visit by the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland, saying the European Union had sent its “latest uninvited mission” to Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, to impose a solution by forcing Mr. Yanukovych to compromise. A day after the United States announced some similar moves, foreign ministers of the 28-nation European Union said they would devise a list of those who would be subject to the European sanctions, and that the sanctions would also ban the export of equipment likely to be used for repression in Ukraine.
“How can you expect that your services will be in demand when the parallel threat of sanctions makes everything very similar to blackmail?” Mr. Lavrov said in remarks during a visit to Iraq, according to the Interfax news agency. But the European foreign ministers also left themselves room to continue with dialogue with the government of President Viktor F. Yanukovych, stressing the importance of political progress in Kiev where the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland have been trying to mediate.
While Russia has long criticized American and European diplomacy in Ukraine, the tone of Russia’s complaints has escalated along with the violence there, for which officials in Moscow have consistently blamed radicals and extremists whom they have compared to the Nazis. The death toll from three days of violence climbed to about 50 on Thursday, including protesters and members of the security services. Hundreds more have been wounded, and there were indications that the country was splintering. Britain’s foreign secretary, William Hague, said the foreign ministers had acted because of the “widespread horror” at what had happened in Ukraine but that the number of those affected by the sanctions would depend on the behavior of the Ukrainian government.
“The scale of the implementation of that will depend on developments to come and of course we want to see success in government and opposition working together in order to bring about a peaceful situation and a peaceful and democratic settlement,” Mr. Hague told reporters as he left the meeting in Brussels.
The European foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said that ministers had been “truly alarmed and shocked by the scale of violence that has taken place,” and praised the work of the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland who briefed Ms. Ashton by telephone after their talks with Mr. Yanukovych.
Before Thursday’s meeting several ministers stressed the importance of sending a tough message to the government in Kiev and said that the Ukrainian authorities bore the primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of their citizens.
But Europeans are also keen to avoid worsening the situation by isolating the Ukrainian president, reducing the prospects of reaching a negotiated settlement.
During telephone talks Thursday the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and Britain’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, “agreed to do all they can to secure support from all sides in Ukraine for a possible road map, proposed by European foreign ministers in Kiev earlier today, which could lead to a peaceful solution to the crisis,” Mr. Cameron’s office said.
The European decision came as Russia stridently denounced the imposition of sanctions, both by Europe and the United States, saying such steps amounted to blackmail against the government of President Yanukovych.
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, also criticized the visit by the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland, saying the European Union had dispatched its “latest uninvited mission” to Kiev to impose a solution by forcing Mr. Yanukovych to compromise.
“How can you expect that your services will be in demand when the parallel threat of sanctions makes everything very similar to blackmail?” Mr. Lavrov said in remarks during a visit to Iraq, according to Interfax.
While Russia has long criticized American and European diplomacy in Ukraine, the tone of Russia’s complaints has escalated along with the violence there, which officials in Moscow have consistently blamed on radicals and extremists that it has compared to the Nazis.
Mr. Lavrov’s remarks came the day after the United States announced that it would impose a travel ban on 20 civilian and political leaders in Ukraine who officials said were directly responsible for ordering a crackdown in Kiev that began on Tuesday after protesters broke through police lines.Mr. Lavrov’s remarks came the day after the United States announced that it would impose a travel ban on 20 civilian and political leaders in Ukraine who officials said were directly responsible for ordering a crackdown in Kiev that began on Tuesday after protesters broke through police lines.
The State Department did not identify those sanctioned, but officials indicated that they had not targeted Ukraine’s military command or apparently Mr. Yanukovych himself, leaving room for a compromise. The State Department did not identify those sanctioned, but Obama administration officials indicated that they had not targeted Ukraine’s military command or apparently Mr. Yanukovych himself, leaving room for a compromise. Administration officials also have been vague about the possibility of additional sanctions.
One of Russia’s deputy prime ministers, Dmitri O. Rogozin, a former ambassador to NATO whose views of the West are often pointed, also planned to fly to Ukraine on Thursday, but he canceled, citing the situation on the ground in Kiev. Hours later, after speaking by telephone with Mr. Yanukovych, President Vladimir V. Putin ordered another official to go: Vladimir Lukin, the departing chairman of Russia’s human rights commission, who is widely viewed as a more moderate figure. Josh Earnest, the White House principal deputy press secretary, said Thursday that there were "a range of tools that could be used by the administration to hold accountable officials." Mr. Earnest also said "it is fair to say that a range of options is being actively considered.”
In Brussels, diplomats were working on drafts of an agreement that would impose similar sanctions and possibly introduce an embargo on the export of arms to the country. One of Russia’s deputy prime ministers, Dmitri O. Rogozin, a former ambassador to NATO whose views of the West are often pointed, had planned to fly to Ukraine on Thursday, but he canceled, citing the situation on the ground in Kiev. Hours later, after speaking by telephone with Mr. Yanukovych, President Vladimir V. Putin ordered another official to go: Vladimir Lukin, the outgoing chairman of Russia’s human rights commission, who is widely viewed as a more moderate figure.
“It is important that there is a strong international response,” William Hague, Britain’s foreign secretary, said as he arrived in Brussels for a meeting of his European Union counterparts. “It is also important that we promote ultimately a peaceful settlement on these issues and retain our capability to do so.” Mr. Lukin, a liberal politician and former ambassador to the United States, has championed rights issues with mixed success in what is largely an advisory role as chairman of the commission. As the political crisis in Ukraine worsened, though, he was one of the few officials in Moscow to call for mediation between the government and opposition, as opposed to denouncing the protesters as extremists.
Belgium’s foreign minister, Didier Reynders, said that the European Union’s 28 member states must do everything to promote dialogue. “There are several types of sanction possible,” he added, listing bans on travel to countries in the union and the freezing of assets. “If the Ukrainian sides do not have the strength to achieve something worthy for both sides, then if they wish, there is the possibility of international cooperation,” he said in January.
José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, the union’s executive body, told reporters that “the immediate and urgent priority is to avoid further bloodshed and to save human life.” Mr. Barroso added that “there is now a broad consensus among our member states on the way to deal with this issue.”
Even as the European diplomats were meeting with Mr. Yanukovych in Kiev, Russia’s prime minister, Dmitri A. Medvedev, told his cabinet that the Ukrainian government should restore order and not bow to pressure from the outside. His remarks suggested that Russia could be losing patience with Mr. Yanukovych.Even as the European diplomats were meeting with Mr. Yanukovych in Kiev, Russia’s prime minister, Dmitri A. Medvedev, told his cabinet that the Ukrainian government should restore order and not bow to pressure from the outside. His remarks suggested that Russia could be losing patience with Mr. Yanukovych.
“We will seek to do everything to fulfill the pledges which we gave to them,” Mr. Medvedev said in remarks transcribed by his office, referring to Russia’s pledges to provide $15 billion in loans to shore up Ukraine’s finances, “but at the same time it’s necessary that the partners are themselves in shape and that the authorities that are working in Ukraine are legitimate and effective, so that people don’t wipe their feet on them like a doormat.”“We will seek to do everything to fulfill the pledges which we gave to them,” Mr. Medvedev said in remarks transcribed by his office, referring to Russia’s pledges to provide $15 billion in loans to shore up Ukraine’s finances, “but at the same time it’s necessary that the partners are themselves in shape and that the authorities that are working in Ukraine are legitimate and effective, so that people don’t wipe their feet on them like a doormat.”