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European ministers agreed on Monday to impose sanctions against 21 officials from Russia
and Ukraine, including travel bans and asset freezes.
The measures come after Sunday's controversial referendum in Crimea, when 96% of voters backed
leaving Ukraine and joining Russia, according to Crimean officials.
Crimea's parliament already declared independence from Ukraine on Monday and asked to join Russia.
'We decided today to introduce additional measures, more specifically restrictive measures
against 21 individuals responsible for actions which undermine or threaten the territorial
integrity and independence of Ukraine. We want to underline very clearly that there
is still time to avoid a negative spiral and to reverse current development and we call
on the Russian leadership not to take steps to annex Crimea and to instead take steps
to de-escalate this crisis.' Russian and Ukrainian politicians responsible
for organising Sunday's referendum in Crimea are the main targets of the EU sanctions.
Kiev's government, as well as the EU and the US have condemned the referendum as illegal
and have urged Russia to negotiate directly with Ukraine and to allow in observers and
mediators. "I don't have to remind any of you that it's
illegal under the constitution of Ukraine and under international law. I call upon Russia
yet again to meet with Ukrainian leaders and to start dialogue with them, and to try and
move to de-escalation, as quickly as possible. We've seen no evidence of that."
Further measures are expected to be taken later this week, when EU leaders meet in Brussels
for the last scheduled EU Summit before the European elections.
The Crimean peninsula, home of 2 million people, has been under Russian military control since February.