EU to Pull Trigger on Russia Sanctions, Set Review Terms

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

By James G. Neuger Sep 11, 2014 7:19 AM ET

New European Union sanctions against Russia will be enacted tomorrow, while the EU also will lay out its conditions for eventually suspending the measures, three EU officials said.

Ending days of wrangling, representatives of the 28 EU governments agreed to implement plans to bar some Russian state-owned defense and energy companies from raising capital in the bloc, the officials said under condition of anonymity in Brussels.

Some EU countries had argued that going ahead with the restrictions now would provoke the Kremlin, giving it a pretext to break the cease-fire prevailing in eastern Ukraine. An EU statement later today will spell out what Russia needs to do to get the curbs lifted, the officials said.

EU governments voted for the sanctions on Sept. 5, while laying bare the bloc’s divisions over Russia by putting the curbs on hold as the cease-fire between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists took effect.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-11/eu-to-pull-trigger-on-russia-sanctions-set-review-terms.html

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EU Stiffens Russia Sanctions, Ties Rollback to Peace Plan

By James G. Neuger Sep 11, 2014 10:07 AM ET

The European Union stiffened sanctions against Russia while offering to ease the restrictions once the Kremlin makes a good-faith effort to bring peace to eastern Ukraine.

Ending days of wrangling, representatives of the 28 EU governments agreed to impose curbs tomorrow on European assistance for Russian oil exploration and production and on the financing of Russian defense and energy companies. The EU also slapped travel bans and asset freezes on 24 more people accused of destabilizing Ukraine, bringing the total to 119.

“We have always stressed the reversibility and scalability of our restrictive measures,” EU President Herman Van Rompuy said in a statement in Brussels. A review of the cease-fire in eastern Ukraine by the end of September may lead to EU “proposals to amend, suspend or repeal the set of sanctions in force, in all or in part.”

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-11/eu-stiffens-russia-sanctions-ties-rollback-to-peace-plan.html

[geek tragedy]

1. Russia has really left the EU with no good options. nt

[davidpdx]

4. We'll see if they go through with it

I hope they do, but I have my doubts.

[Demeter]

2. EU is the Black Knight in this Battle

and Putin is King Arthur.

(And the USA is the Knights who say "Ni!&quot

[ballyhoo]

3. Gonna be a cold winter in Europe...