Abela to attend urgent EU Council meeting on Russian aggression

Prime Minister Robert Abela will join EU leaders tomorrow evening for an urgent European Council convened by president Charles Michel on the situation on the Ukrainian borders.

The 8pm meeting will discuss latest developments involving Russian military incursions, the protection of the rules-based international order, and how to hold Russia accountable for its actions and provide support Ukraine.

“The use of force and coercion to change borders has no place in the 21st century,” European Council president Charles Michel told EU leaders.

“I would like to thank you for the unity shown over the last days notably through the swift adoption today of the sanctions package by Council.

“The aggressive actions by the Russian Federation violate international law and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. They also undermine the European security order.”

Michel said it was important to be united and determined and jointly define the EU’s collective approach and actions.

The Council today adopted a package of measures to respond to the decision by the Russian Federation to proceed with the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine as independent entities, and the subsequent decision to send Russian troops into these areas.

“Such decisions are illegal and unacceptable. They violate international law, Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, Russia’s own international commitments and further escalate the crisis,” Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said.

The sanctions extend restrictive measures to cover all 351 members of the Russian State Duma, who voted on 15 February in favour of the appeal to President Vladimir Putin to recognise the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk ”republics”.

Targeted restrictive measures were imposed on 27 high-profile individuals and entities, who have played a role in undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

These include decision makers such as members of the government, who were involved in the illegal decisions; banks and businesspersons/oligarchs supporting financially or materially Russian operations in the Donetsk and Luhansk’s territories, or benefitting from them; senior military officers, who played a role in the invasion and destabilisation actions; and individuals responsible for leading a disinformation war against Ukraine.

Restrictive measures include an asset freeze and a prohibition from making funds available to the listed individuals and entities.

In addition, a travel ban applicable to the listed persons prevents these from entering or transiting through EU territory.

New measures will target trade from the two non-government controlled regions to and from the EU, to ensure that those responsible clearly feel the economic consequences of their illegal and aggressive actions.

The Council decided to introduce a sectoral prohibition to finance the Russian Federation, its government and Central Bank. By restraining the ability of the Russian state and government to access the EU’s capital and financial markets and services, the EU aims to limit the financing of escalatory and aggressive policies.