The European Union says it is making “swift progress” in adopting tougher economic sanctions against Russia over what it calls Moscow’s involvement in the crisis in Ukraine.
In a statement on Friday, the European Union said that its executive arm would “swiftly table the necessary legislative proposals in all areas identified” earlier by the EU member states.
The statement was made after EU members discussed broadening the sanctions against Russia from current asset freezes and travel bans. An EU diplomatic source said “there is an agreement in principle on the package of economic sanctions.”
The European Union accuses Moscow of being involved in the crisis in neighboring Ukraine, where government forces are fighting pro-Russia forces. Moscow rejects any involvement with or link to the pro-Russians.
Talks of tougher sanctions have intensified since the Malaysian Flight MH17, heading from the Dutch capital of Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was reportedly shot down on July 17, over Ukraine’s volatile Donetsk region. All 298 passengers and crew members on board were killed in the tragedy.
Western powers accuse pro-Russia forces of downing the civilian airliner. The pro-Russians deny any involvement in the tragedy and, in turn, accuse Kiev of being responsible for the plane’s crash.
EU foreign ministers also said in a statement that the European Commission and the EU external affairs arm should present “proposals for taking action, including on access to capital markets, defence, dual-use goods and sensitive technologies, including in the energy sector.”
On July 24, the European Union announced that another 15 Russian and Ukrainian individuals and 18 companies and local authorities set up by the pro-Russians in Ukraine would be added to the current 72 names and entities on the list of visa bans and asset freezes.
Ukraine’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk have been the scene of turmoil since April, when the government in Kiev launched military operations in a move aimed at crushing pro-Russia protests in the east.
