Despite the European economic sanctions that imposed on RussiaOn Wednesday, targeting its government, financial sector and central bank, EU foreign policy representative Josep Borrell returned and confirmed an intention to respond to possible next steps from Moscow with other tough measures.
Borrell explained that he researched with US Secretary of State What he called Russian aggression and Moscow’s illegal actions against Ukraine.
This came while British Defense Minister Ben Wallace considered that Russian President Vladimir Putin had left his country alone without friends in its recent crisis with its neighbor.
Britain and France threaten Russia
He also threatened, on a visit on Wednesday to the headquarters of the Horse Guards in central London, of the possibility of a strike against the Russian army similar to what happened in 1853, in reference to the events of the Crimean War, which lasted from 1853 to 1856, and then kicked the Scottish Guard Regiment Tsar Nicholas I.
As for France, it took a similar position, as the Elysee stressed in a statement that everyone in Europe is going through a dangerous stage.
And he warned of the dangers, including manipulation and disinformation, to create a pretext for attacking Ukraine.
He added that countries such as Poland, Hungary, Romania and the Baltic states may suffer from a large wave of immigration due to the crisis.
Another penalty package
These developments came after the European Union officially announced, on Wednesday, a package of sanctions against Russia targeting its government, financial sector and central bank, in response to its recognition of the secession of Donetsk and Lugansk.
In a statement, he said, the European Council imposed a set of measures in response to the Russian Federation’s decision to move forward with recognition of the non-government-controlled areas in Donetsk and Lugansk, Ukraine as independent entities, and the subsequent decision to send Russian troops.
He also added that within the current framework of sanctions, the EU will extend the restrictive measures to all 351 members of the Russian State Duma who voted on February 15 to recognize the independence of Donetsk and Lugansk.
Restrictive measures will also be imposed on 27 prominent individuals and entities, who have played a role in undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
Other actions
It is noteworthy that the recent European steps came in the wake of the measures announced last Tuesday, which included Germany’s suspension of ratification of a new Russian gas pipeline project and the imposition of new US sanctions on Russian banks.
None of the measures announced so far directly target President Vladimir Putin, nor will they have serious medium-term consequences for Moscow, which has more than $630 billion in international reserves.