EU statement on Crimea

[ProSense]

3. Sanctions

"I wonder what they will come up with. I think they will hold back on the worst to in case Putin also invades Ukraine proper."

...were announced today. It's likely these will expand if Putin ignores the international community.

EU imposes sanctions after Crimea moves to join Russia

By Aleksandar Vasovic and Adrian Croft

(Reuters) - The European Union is to impose sanctions including asset freezes and travel bans on 21 officials from Russia and Ukraine after Crimea applied to join Russia on Monday following a weekend referendum, Lithuania's foreign minister said.

Crimea's leaders declared a Soviet-style 97-percent result in favor of seceding from Ukraine in a vote condemned as illegal by Kiev and the West.

After a meeting lasting around three hours, the EU's 28 foreign ministers agreed on a list of those to be sanctioned for their part in Russia's seizure of Crimea and Sunday's referendum on joining Russia.

The ministers had "just agreed on sanctions - travel restrictions & assets freeze against 21 officials from Ukraine & Russia," Lithuanian foreign minister Linan Linkevicius wrote in a message on Twitter.

- more -

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/17/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSBREA1Q1E820140317