This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26659578
The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 10 | Version 11 |
|---|---|
| Crimea crisis: Merkel warns Russia faces escalating sanctions | Crimea crisis: Merkel warns Russia faces escalating sanctions |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Russia will face escalating EU sanctions if it does not take steps to ease the crisis over Crimea. | German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Russia will face escalating EU sanctions if it does not take steps to ease the crisis over Crimea. |
| Mrs Merkel told German MPs that the current political situation also meant the G8 effectively no longer existed. | |
| EU leaders are meeting in Brussels shortly to discuss their response to Russia's intervention in the peninsula. | |
| Tensions remain high in Crimea after its leaders signed a deal with Moscow to split from Ukraine and join Russia. | Tensions remain high in Crimea after its leaders signed a deal with Moscow to split from Ukraine and join Russia. |
| Pro-Russian forces took over at least two military bases there on Wednesday. | Pro-Russian forces took over at least two military bases there on Wednesday. |
| Ukraine's navy commander, Serhiy Hayduk, was detained, but has now been released. | Ukraine's navy commander, Serhiy Hayduk, 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 referendum which the West and Kiev say was illegal. | Crimean leaders signed a treaty with Moscow on Tuesday to absorb the peninsula - an autonomous republic in southern Ukraine - into Russia, following a referendum which the West and Kiev say was illegal. |
| The treaty has now been approved by Russia's lower house of parliament - the Duma - and is expected to be ratified by the upper house on Friday. | The treaty has now been approved by Russia's lower house of parliament - the Duma - and is expected to be ratified by the upper house on Friday. |
| Speaking ahead of the vote in the Duma, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described possible sanctions as "illegitimate" and "not based on international law". | Speaking ahead of the vote in the Duma, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described possible sanctions as "illegitimate" and "not based on international law". |
| Mr Lavrov said the treaty to absorb Crimea into the Russian Federation would "be a turning point in the fate of the multi-ethnic peoples of Crimea and Russia, who are linked by the close ties of historical solidarity". | Mr Lavrov said the treaty to absorb Crimea into the Russian Federation would "be a turning point in the fate of the multi-ethnic peoples of Crimea and Russia, who are linked by the close ties of historical solidarity". |
| He reiterated Moscow's position that the annexation is necessary to protect ethnic Russians from "nationalists, anti-Semites and other extremists on whom the new [Ukrainian] authorities depend". | He reiterated Moscow's position that the annexation is necessary to protect ethnic Russians from "nationalists, anti-Semites and other extremists on whom the new [Ukrainian] authorities depend". |
| In a resolution on Thursday, Ukraine's parliament said the country would "never and under no circumstances end the fight to free Crimea of occupants, no matter how difficult and long it is". | In a resolution on Thursday, Ukraine's parliament said the country would "never and under no circumstances end the fight to free Crimea of occupants, no matter how difficult and long it is". |
| 'Political consequences' | 'Political consequences' |
| The United Nations chief, Ban Ki-moon, told Russian President Vladimir Putin that he was "deeply concerned" over the crisis. | |
| Mr Ban was holding talks with the Russian leader before travelling to Kiev. | |
| Western leaders have denounced Russia's actions in Crimea as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and a breach of international law. | Western leaders have denounced Russia's actions in Crimea as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and a breach of international law. |
| The EU has already imposed sanctions on 21 people connected to Moscow's intervention in Crimea, and is expected to discuss expanding the sanctions to include political and military figures close to President Putin. | |
| Speaking in Berlin before travelling to Brussels for Thursday's summit, Mrs Merkel said the EU would "make clear that we are ready at any time" to increase sanctions against Russia "if there is a worsening of the situation". | |
| The EU would also, she said, "draw consequences for political relations between the EU and Russia, as well as for relations between the G7 and Russia". | The EU would also, she said, "draw consequences for political relations between the EU and Russia, as well as for relations between the G7 and Russia". |
| The G8 - comprising seven of the world's leading industrialised nations, and Russia - is scheduled to hold a summit in the southern Russian city of Sochi in June. | The G8 - comprising seven of the world's leading industrialised nations, and Russia - is scheduled to hold a summit in the southern Russian city of Sochi in June. |
| But Mrs Merkel said it was "obvious, as long as the political context for such an important format like the G8 does not apply, as is the case at the moment, the G8 doesn't exist anymore, neither does the summit nor the format as such". | But Mrs Merkel said it was "obvious, as long as the political context for such an important format like the G8 does not apply, as is the case at the moment, the G8 doesn't exist anymore, neither does the summit nor the format as such". |
| The BBC's Matthew Price in Brussels say some believe the first stage of a seismic shift in EU-Russian relations is taking place. | The BBC's Matthew Price in Brussels say some believe the first stage of a seismic shift in EU-Russian relations is taking place. |
| But this will take years, not days, to come about, he adds, and if the leaders are serious they will need to reduce Europe's reliance on Russian gas. | But this will take years, not days, to come about, he adds, and if the leaders are serious they will need to reduce Europe's reliance on Russian gas. |
| The US has also ordered a freeze of assets and travel bans on 11 individuals, and has said it is considering expanding these. | The US has also ordered a freeze of assets and travel bans on 11 individuals, and has said it is considering expanding these. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| Redeployment | Redeployment |
| The crisis comes nearly a month after Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was replaced by Western-leaning interim authorities. | The crisis comes nearly a month after Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was replaced by Western-leaning interim authorities. |
| Pro-Russian troops took control of Crimea in late February. | Pro-Russian troops took control of Crimea in late February. |
| At least two bases - in Sevastopol and Novo-Ozyorne - were taken over by pro-Russian forces on Wednesday. | At least two bases - in Sevastopol and Novo-Ozyorne - were taken over by pro-Russian forces on Wednesday. |
| Ukraine has said it is drawing up plans to withdraw its thousands of soldiers and their families from Crimea for their own safety, and redeploy them on the mainland. | Ukraine has said it is drawing up plans to withdraw its thousands of soldiers and their families from Crimea for their own safety, and redeploy them on the mainland. |
| A number have already accepted Russia's offer to change sides, but many are still in their bases refusing to surrender. | A number have already accepted Russia's offer to change sides, but many are still in their bases refusing to surrender. |
| Are you in Crimea or the wider region? What are your thoughts on recent events? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Crimea' in the subject heading and including your contact details. | Are you in Crimea or the wider region? What are your thoughts on recent events? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Crimea' in the subject heading and including your contact details. |