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German Foreign Minister warns Russia

10 March 2014 08:38 (UTC +04:00)

Baku – APA. “The EU will impose new sanctions against Russia in the absence of de-escalating steps by this country,” said German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier, APA reports quoting UNIAN news agency.

Steinmeier noted that if Russia disagrees to create an international format on the resolution of the problem during the upcoming talks on Monday or Tuesday, the EU will impose new sanctions. Among the measures EU foreign ministers kept off the table for now was asset freezes or travel bans for Russian decision makers.

EU leaders suspended talks on visa-free travel with Russia and threatened asset freezes and economic sanctions if the situation in Ukraine gets worse on March 6. EU leaders also shelved talks on a new bilateral treaty with Russia, but these had all-but petered out before the current crisis. They also said if Russia “further destabilise[s] the situation in Ukraine” there will be “far reaching consequences which will include a broad range of economic areas.”