Kuleba offers EU countries a step-by-step action plan to contain Russia
Photo: mfa.gov.ua
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba took part in an online meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council at the invitation of the EU High Representative Josep Borrell and with the participation of the Foreign Ministers of the European Union Member States.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reports.
The Minister informed the participants of the event of Russia's escalating security situation in the zone of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and along the Ukrainian state border, acquainted colleagues with the complex of threats posed by Russia's current actions for Ukrainian and European security.
The Ukrainian foreign minister proposed a step-by-step action plan to deter Moscow from further escalation, a key element of which is the development of a new package of sectoral sanctions to implement immediately in the event of a new phase of Russian aggression.
"We're grateful to the EU for all the steps that have been taken since 2014 to raise the price for Russia for its aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, at the present stage, personal sanctions are no longer enough. It's necessary to hold an internal discussion in the EU now to develop a new package of sectoral sanctions, which will be immediately introduced in the event of a new stage of aggression by the Russian Federation," the Minister said.
Photo: mfa.gov.ua
The EU and all member states have assured that they remain united in their unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, ready to further strengthen their support for our state and to exert consistent pressure on Russia.
The European Union praised Ukraine's efforts to reach a political and diplomatic settlement based on the Minsk agreements, and Kyiv's balanced and wise response to Russia's attempts to provoke an escalation.
A separate topic was the illegal actions of the Russian Federation in the Azov-Black Sea area, the militarization of the temporarily occupied Crimea, the Black and Azov Seas. Dmytro Kuleba discussed with his EU colleagues the ways to respond to violations of international maritime law in the context of Russia's closing the Kerch Strait and Russia's blockade of the Sea of Azov.
The Minister confirmed the invitation to all EU member states to take part in the inaugural summit and further work of the Crimean Platform.
The participants of the meeting paid special attention to further internal transformations in Ukraine aimed at bringing our country closer to EU membership. Dmytro Kuleba noted the importance of giving Ukraine a clear prospect of EU membership. According to him, the aggressive policy of the Russian Federation against Ukraine will be finally overcome when Moscow realizes that Ukraine is an integral part of the Western democratic world.
