The European Union is planning the “strongest, the harshest package” of sanctions it has ever considered at an emergency summit Thursday to avoid a major war in Europe, condemning Russia’s attack on its neighbor as the European Union and others promised unprecedented sanctions to hit the Kremlin.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that “the target is the stability in Europe and the whole of the international peace order, and we will hold President (Vladimir) Putin accountable for that.”
“We will present a package of massive and targeted sanctions to European leaders for approval,” she said.
Von der Leyen said the “massive and targeted sanctions” she will put to EU leaders “will target strategic sectors of the Russian economy by blocking the access to technologies and markets that are key for Russia.”
She said the sanctions if approved, “will weaken Russia's economic base and its capacity to modernize. And in addition, we will freeze Russian assets in the European Union and stop the access of Russian banks to European financial markets”.
“Like the first package of sanctions that were imposed when Russia recognized the two breakaway eastern Ukrainian republics,” Ursula von der Leyen said all Western powers were walking in lockstep.
“We are closely aligned with our partners and allies, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, but also, for example, Japan and Australia,” she said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that “the target is the stability in Europe and the whole of the international peace order, and we will hold President (Vladimir) Putin accountable for that.”
“We will present a package of massive and targeted sanctions to European leaders for approval,” she said.
Von der Leyen said the “massive and targeted sanctions” she will put to EU leaders “will target strategic sectors of the Russian economy by blocking the access to technologies and markets that are key for Russia.”
She said the sanctions if approved, “will weaken Russia's economic base and its capacity to modernize. And in addition, we will freeze Russian assets in the European Union and stop the access of Russian banks to European financial markets”.
“Like the first package of sanctions that were imposed when Russia recognized the two breakaway eastern Ukrainian republics,” Ursula von der Leyen said all Western powers were walking in lockstep.
“We are closely aligned with our partners and allies, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, but also, for example, Japan and Australia,” she said.
