EU extends individual sanctions for violation of territorial integrity of Ukraine

On 14 March 2019, the Council of the European Union (EU) approved the extension for another six months of individual restrictive measures in response to the ongoing violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity by the Russian Federation. This time, however, the EU also added to its sanctions list eight individuals involved in the unjustified Russian attack and seizure on 25 November 2018 of three Ukrainian naval ships with 24 crew members on board. The restrictive measures will stay in effect until September 2019.

The asset freezes and visa bans will now affect 170 individuals and 44 entities linked to the continuous violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.

“The Ukrainian World Congress acknowledges the commitment of the EU to extending the current package of sanctions against the Russian Federation for its aggression against Ukraine,” said UWC President Paul Grod. “Nonetheless, we call on the EU to issue a firmer response to Russian actions, including banning Russian ships from docking at EU ports and terminating the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.”

The announced sanctions will extend the restrictive measures that have been in place against the Russian Federation since it illegally occupied Crimea in 2014 and invaded territories of Eastern Ukraine, and come amidst calls for Russia to stop the ongoing militarization of Crimea and aggressive behavior in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

In coordination with the EU, Canada and the United States also announced on 15 March 2019 new individual sanctions following Russia’s aggression in the Kerch Strait and the illegal occupation of Ukraine’s Crimea.

On 18 March 2019, Australia joined this transatlantic effort by imposing its own set of personal restrictive measures against individuals involved in the November attack on the Ukrainian navy by Russia.