Some EU leaders calling for sanctions if Russia recognizes 'independence' of so-called 'LPR/DPR' – Maasikas
Some EU leaders are calling for sanctions if the Russian Federation recognizes the "independence" of the so-called "LPR/DPR", head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Matti Maasikas said.
Maasikas told Interfax-Ukraine after the ceremony of laying flowers at the Memorial Wall in Kyiv on Wednesday that there is some talk about it. He said he had seen that some EU leaders were calling for sanctions also if this recognition happens, but he emphasized that this had not happened yet.
The diplomat noted that the recognition of the so-called "republics" by the Russian Federation would mean further territorial claims to Ukraine.
Maasikas explained that the decision had not been made yet. He said that this is brandishing of another weapon, demonstrating that "we are ready to do this, too." Of course, recognition of the so-called "republics", he added, would mean further territorial claims to Ukraine, since how these two so-called "republics" view their territory.
Answering the question about the possibility of imposing sanctions in connection with Russia's passports issuance to the population in the occupied territories, the ambassador pointed out that the EU had constantly drawn everyone's attention to the fact that these goals of the Russian Federation, at least, contradict the spirit of the Minsk agreements.
Maasikas stressed that if there is one thing that President Putin had achieved through his actions, it is the unparalleled unity of the Western world.
The head of the EU delegation said that everyone saw all the EU ambassadors laying flowers and paying tribute to the victims of this war, aggression, adding that he had never seen such good coordination not only between EU member states and EU institutions, but also between the EU and its transatlantic partners and the United Kingdom. So, if there is one thing that President Putin had achieved, it is the unparalleled unity of the Western world, he added.
As reported, on February 15, the State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted a resolution on the immediate sending to the President of the Russian Federation of the Duma's appeal on the need to recognize the "independence" of the so-called "LPR/DPR."
