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Sanctions 'inevitable' without Russian U-turn

PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge 11.03.2014 09:00
Poland's foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said after meeting UK counterpart William Hague that sanctions against Russia are 'inevitable' if Moscow fails to 'de-escalate' the Crimean crisis.

Polish
Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski (L) and British Foreign Secretary William Hague (R) in London, 10 March 2014. Photo. EPA/Patrick Tsui

“We have agreed that we will work together towards fulfilling the EU decision taken by our leaders at the session of the European Council that if there is no de-escalation of the conflict within the next few days, sanctions against Russia will be inevitable,” Sikorski said in London on Monday, as cited by the Polish Press Agency.

“I am glad that Poland and Great Britain stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of the principle of the territorial integrity of states, and their right to choose democratic governments,” he stressed.

“Of course, we hope that such a de-escalation occurs, and Poland and the United Kingdom continue to put all efforts into reaching a dialogue with Russia, especially between Russia and Ukraine,” he added.

Meanwhile, William Hague told the BBC that Russia has made “a big miscalculation” over Crimea, which currently has the status of an autonomous republic within Ukraine.

He argued that “there clearly are Russian troops in Crimea” in spite of President Putin's statement last week to the contrary.

Moscow says that it will back Crimea's secession from Ukraine, if inhabitants vote in favour of joining Russia in a hastily prepared 16 March referendum.

“I think it would be wrong to think Russia has won in some sense,” Hague claimed. (nh)

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