U.S., EU impose sanctions on Russians, Ukrainians for Crimea takeover

U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order on March 17 that imposes travel and banking sanctions against seven Russian state officials identified as being responsible for the deployment of Russian military forces in the Crimea region of Ukraine; the undermining of democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; the threatening of peace, security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity; and the contribution to the misappropriation of its assets.

The U.S. Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on March 6 on four Ukrainian citizens for their actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty or territorial integrity of Ukraine and in undermining the government of Ukraine. Among those targeted were Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

“The United States, together with international partners, will continue to stand by the Ukrainian government to ensure that costs are imposed on Crimean separatists and their Russian backers,” the White House stated in a fact sheet. “Today’s actions also serve as notice to Russia that unless it abides by its international obligations and returns its military forces to their original bases and respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the United States is prepared to take additional steps to impose further political and economic costs.”

The EU Foreign Ministers Council decided on March 17 to impose EU-wide travel ban and asset freezes against 21 Russian and Ukrainian officials responsible for the unrest in Crimea, announced Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius. Those targeted were mostly mid-level state officials – including Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksionov and Russian Duma Vice Speaker Sergei Zhelezniak – from a list that had reportedly consisted of more than 120 names. EU leaders will expand the list to include more senior figures closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the March 21 summit in Brussels, he said.

Zenon Zawada: Russian and Ukrainian leaders spent the evening dismissing and even ridiculing the sanctions. Indeed they can hide their assets in countries beyond the West, where many of those targeted spend little of their free time. Sanctions would be far more effective against Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs, who spend much of their time in the West. Ukrainian journalist Serhiy Leshchenko reported that Ukraine’s top oligarch Rinat Akhmetov avoided landing in London because he was notified of a meeting requested by the British government. The events toppling Yanukovych in late February showed that oligarchs can have significant influence on Ukrainian politicians.