After the takeover of Ukrainian army bases and the seizure of military assets by Russian forces this weekend, the interim president of Ukraine has today ordered the withdrawal of the Ukrainian army from Crimea. As Russian forces amass on the Ukrainian border, EU ministers continue to suggest that Europe is united in its readiness to expand sanctions against Russia if the stand-off over Ukraine escalates.
Although calls for the EU to specifically impose economic sanctions upon Russia are becoming more vocal, particularly from Germany, there is not yet any firm indication that the EU will act on this. Moreover, there has not yet been any clear EU response to the heightened military activity over the weekend. As President Obama flies to Europe today for this week’s G7, NATO and EU summits, we will continue to monitor developments on this blog as they occur.
