#InTheNews: EU Sets Russian Sanctions Ultimatum

Sunday, 31 August 2014

#InTheNews: EU Sets Russian Sanctions Ultimatum

Russia has been given one week by the EU to reverse course in Ukraine or face new sanctions. According to the president of the European council, Herman Van Rompuy, further restrictive measures are been worked on urgently by the EU.

The Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko earlier said his country was close to a point of no return- full scale war with Russia. Russia denies western accusations that its forces have illegally crossed into Ukraine to support separatist there.

Pro Russian rebels have made gains against Ukrainian troops in recent days in the eastern Donetsk and Lunansk regions, and about 2,600 people have died in the fighting.

After a summit in Brussels, Van Rompuy said the EU was ready to take significant steps. Although he did not specify the nature of further sanctions, he said the proposals would be ready within a week.