Brussels threatens more Russia sanctions

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L) and European Council President Herman van Rompuy (R) sit for a meeting ahead to European leaders extraordinary summit at EU Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, 30 August 2014. Photo: PAP/EPA/YVES LOGGHEE/POOL

Speaking at a special summit in Brussels on Saturday evening, during which Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was appointed the new president of the European Council from December, outgoing president Herman Van Rompuy said that the new sanctions will be prepared “within a week”.

The EU decision comes as the conflict in eastern Ukraine worsened towards the end of the week, with Pro-Russian rebels making gains against Ukrainian troops in the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

Speaking on Saturday evening, Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko said that “the coordinated action and diplomatic efforts towards Russia” will provide a breakthrough in the tense situation, although underlined that the situation in Ukraine was “close to a point of no return”.

Meanwhile, speaking to Russia’s Channel 1 TV station, Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for talks concerning the statehood of rebel-held regions in south-eastern Ukraine, maintaining that the aim would be for the “unconditional protection of rights” of people living in the region.

The comments come on the same day ten captured Russian paratroopers were sent back home in exchange for 63 Ukrainian captives, Russia’s military has reported. (jb)

Source: PAP/IAR/BBC