Labour MEPs call on EU to spell out sanctions on Russia over Ukraine

On 6 March, Labour MEPs called on the European Union to spell out the sanctions being considered against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Richard Howitt MEP, Labour's European spokesperson on foreign affairs and a senior member of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, was present at talks with Ukraine's interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Brussels, where Yatsenyuk told MEPs "this is not just a crisis between Russia and Ukraine but one for Europe as a whole".

Howitt said: "Europe has to be more specific in its threat of possible sanctions against Russia or it will lose credibility in its threat of 'costs and consequences' over Ukraine. It is a false choice to suggest today's European Council meeting must opt between sanctions or dialogue with Russia.

"Everyone saw the failure of yesterday's talks in Paris to be able to go beyond generalized warnings, most of all in the Kremlin, so it is crucial European leaders today back their rhetoric with firm proposals.

"With thousands of Russian troops on the ground in Crimea, if the best the EU can do is simply to suspend what are essentially low-level, technical meetings with Russia, the risk is Europe will be seen as only capable of being able to make empty threats.

"I welcome any attempts to enable direct dialogue between Moscow and Ukraine, together with the essential EU financial assistance to assist democratic efforts in Ukraine, but sanctions are part of the necessary diplomacy if Russia is to be persuaded to back-off."

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