EU Extends Russia Sanctions Over Ukraine Crisis

[Pavel + 384]

The European Union on Monday said it had extended sanctions against Russia, imposed over the annexation of Crimea and supporting rebels in eastern Ukraine, for another six months. The sanctions, including travel restrictions and asset freezes against 150 people and 38 companies, would be extended until Sept. 15, the European Council said. And? What's result of sanctions? Putin is stronger today than ever..

[franco + 96]

EU extending sanctions?? Without any goal, any vision....

[Petar + 76]

Yep. And, If I remember well, Crimea is under the "control of Russia" four years. So...

[damirUSBiH + 327]

Germany and most Eastern EU countries get their gas from Russia - they will do exactly nothing against Russia.

[franco + 96]

EU said sanctions. This morning V. Putin said: "Returning Crimea to Ukraine is impossible under any circumstances"...

[damirUSBiH + 327]

Not just EU.  Latest: U.K. to hit Russia with sanctions for spy poisoning. " The U.K. is preparing to formally blame Russia for the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal with a nerve agent...."  This could be the biggest crisis between two countries in last few decades....

[franco + 96]

I am starting to think sanctions are too kind. Russia should just choked off from trade. Full stop. For example we can still get great vodka from Poland:) The problem is to find a good caviar:)

[WaytoPeace + 62]

While sanctions may deter future actions, it is hard to see how it will reverse conditions on the ground in what was thought of as Ukraine.  There is also the question as to whether, and if so, under what circumstances people within the artificial boundaries of a nation state should have the right of self-determination.  After all, that is how our nation was born.  It is quite apparent that if free elections with UN monitors were held in Crimea and the breakaway portions of what had been eastern Ukraine, the people there would not vote to be reunited with Ukraine.  So, while Russian involvement made this possible, this is not just about Russian aggression, and neither is it necessarily an indication of Russia’s willingness to seek to annex territory against the wishes of a local population.   

[franco + 96]

Sanctions have unfortunate consequences for the people of the sanctioned country, but not necessarily for the leaders of the countries. It would be more to the point to confiscate the offshore funds of the leaders, to hold them in escrow until the country changes its policies and actions. As part of this process, the amount of such funds should be widely publicized, particularly in that country. No matter how much the people "love" their leaders, the will probably love them less if they know that their "loved" ones have stolen billions or even trillion from their country. Generally speaking, EU is strong as a tiger on paper.

[Petar + 76]

Russia slowly confiscated territory belonging to another nation? Is that why those folks in Europe tried to stop Putin from doing that and could not, so those sanctions were put in place to stop Putin from taking the whole country? Too late EU.

[damirUSBiH + 327]

On 3/12/2018 at 6:44 PM, damirUSBiH said:

 " The U.K. is preparing to formally blame Russia for the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal with a nerve agent...."  This could be the biggest crisis between two countries in last few decades....

As I said.... Britain expels 23 Russian diplomats over chemical attack on ex-spy.