Date of publication: 04 Apr 2022 • 21 hours ago • 5 minutes reading • 182 Comments Tanya Nedashkivska mourns her husband Vasyl Ivanovych, who was killed by Russian soldiers, in his grave in the garden of their apartment building, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Bucha, Ukraine April 3, 2022. Photo by REUTERS / Zohra Bensemra
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The European Union (EU) has said it is working on additional sanctions to punish Russia for its alleged war crimes in Ukraine, and has condemned the alleged atrocities committed against civilians.
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In a statement on behalf of the 27-nation bloc, Josep Borrell, the EU’s chief foreign envoy, blamed “basic images of heavy civilian casualties” at the feet of the Russian occupation forces and said the EU would work for further sanctions. emergency “. Similarly, Biden government officials have been discussing the intensification of sanctions against Russia as evidence emerged of the apparent execution of civilians in Bucha, a suburb near Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, according to two people familiar with the matter. The extent of the possible US retaliation was not exactly clear, but senior Biden officials had previously discussed potentially catastrophic “secondary sanctions” aimed at countries that continue to trade with Russia. U.S. officials said the plan was preliminary and no decision had been made on possible answers.
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People continue to buy billions of dollars worth of Russian oil and gas, giving the Kremlin an immediate economic salvation. “This should open the eyes of those in the West who should push harder for sanctions. “There is no excuse for continuing to channel billions of dollars into Putin through oil and gas sales,” said Edward Fisman, a former State Department official who worked on sanctions policy in Russia during the Obama administration. “I am confident that we will end up with a maximum of 10 out of 10 Iran-type sanctions on Russia. Events like this urge the West to do so. “I see no reason to wait.” Russia’s Defense Ministry described as “provocative” from Kyiv the photos of the dead on the streets of cities recently liberated by Ukrainian forces, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peshkov reiterated on Monday that Russia “categorically denies” the allegations. she was killed by civilians in Bouha.
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“The Russian authorities are responsible for these atrocities, which were committed while effectively controlling the area,” Borrell said. “The massacres in the city of Bukha and in other cities of Ukraine will be included in the list of atrocities committed on European soil.”
People reacted with horror and anger to the obvious war crimes in the cities around Kyiv which were one of the first targets of the Russian invading forces. However, it is unclear whether the new revelations of atrocities will prove to be a turning point in the international response to the nearly six-week war.
The new EU sanctions will be discussed in the coming days, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, who called for “very clear measures”.
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“I am in favor of a round of sanctions, especially on coal and oil, which we know are particularly harmful,” Macron said in a radio interview, adding that France would coordinate with European partners, especially Germany, for additional measures. “We have to give a signal that it is our values and our common dignity that we are defending,” he said. The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, has coordinated with Member States to improve measures that will focus mainly on closing gaps, strengthening existing actions – such as export controls on more technological goods and full sanctions on banks already cut off from the global SWIFT payment system – and expanding the list of people being fined by dozens more.
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This set of actions is expected to be implemented as early as Wednesday. However, in light of reports that Russian troops have executed unarmed civilians, some governments say the measures are not far enough and want the bloc to discuss a new and stronger package of sanctions, including on Russia’s energy sector, as soon as possible. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki proposed an EU visa ban on Russian citizens during a press conference in Warsaw, calling the move “necessary”. Estonian Prime Minister Kaya Callas has said that one-fifth of “strong EU sanctions” should take place as soon as possible. Germany and some other Russian gas-dependent Member States have opposed sanctions on the energy sector, as well as on maritime trade and other key industries. EU sanctions require unanimous support.
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But there were indications that the mood in Berlin could change. Speaking to reporters in Berlin on Sunday, Chancellor Olaf Solz said Germany and its allies would agree on “further measures” against Russia in the coming days, without giving details. “Putin and his supporters will feel the effects and we will continue to supply weapons to Ukraine so that it can defend itself against the Russian invasion,” Solz said. He did not mention Russian gas, oil and coal imports, on which Germany relies heavily. However, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, a member of Soltz’s Social Democrats, told ARD television that the EU should discuss a ban on Russian gas imports. Government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner told reporters Monday that it was too early to talk about the details and scope of the new sanctions.
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Pressed on whether Bucha would lead the government to abandon its opposition to a full-blown Russian energy embargo, Economy Minister Robert Habeck reiterated that Germany was trying to reduce its dependence as soon as possible, saying it was “unexpectedly fast”. . Ukraine has accused Russian troops of killing unarmed civilians, with officials saying they found hundreds of bodies in Bucha after the withdrawal of Russian troops. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reiterated accusations that Russia was committing genocide in Ukraine, telling CBS “Face the Nation” that its citizens were being “destroyed and annihilated.” Peshkov, a Kremlin spokesman, did not provide any new evidence to support Moscow’s claims that the videos on the site were “fake.” He called on foreign leaders not to rush into making a statement on the matter before launching an investigation. A Russian attempt to convene a UN Security Council meeting to express its grievances over Bucha has been thwarted by a permanent member of the United Kingdom. The EU fully supports the International Criminal Court’s investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity and is assisting Ukraine in its efforts to provide evidence, Borrell said. “The perpetrators of war crimes and other serious violations, as well as responsible government officials and military leaders, will be held accountable,” he said. With additional reportage from the Washington Post
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