A European Union commission has proposed sanctions of Russian officials following President Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize two Ukrainian regions as independent.
The proposal, created by the European Commission and European External Action Service, would also place sanctions on 27 persons and entities the EU claimed to be linked to “illegal activities” in the Donbas region, reported CNN. The proposal resembles sanctions proposed after the 2014 annexation of Crimea.
The proposal would also sanction 351 Russian lawmakers who voted to recognize the independence of the two regions.
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Most member states are on board with the proposal, a senior EU official told CNN. However, some are concerned that countries with close ties to Russia may use veto powers to stop the proposal. Some member states also appear to be pushing for “incremental” implementation, the official said.
Putin’s decision to recognize the sovereignty of the Luhansk People’s Republic and the Donetsk People’s Republic has led several countries to begin taking legal actions against Russia. President Joe Biden announced on Monday that he would issue an executive order blocking any U.S. investments in those regions, one of the first few sanctions that the U.S. is expected to issue in response to Russia’s military actions. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also promised to issue sanctions against Russia.
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The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Monday to seek peace and avoid war.
Germany also announced that it was halting the certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in light of Russia’s actions.
