Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Baltics call for swift EU sanctions on Russia after it recognizes Ukrainian breakaway republics

Published 02/21/2022, 03:51 PM
Updated 02/21/2022, 03:56 PM
© Reuters. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and Lihuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte pose for media in Riga, Latvia February 4, 2022. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

© Reuters. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and Lihuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte pose for media in Riga, Latvia February 4, 2022. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

By Andrius Sytas

VILNIUS (Reuters) - The European Union must impose sanctions on Russia immediately after it recognised two Ukrainian breakaway regions as independent, the governments of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said after Russia's announcement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities on Monday, upping the ante in a crisis the West fears could unleash a major war.

The three Baltic states, unlike Ukraine, are all members of NATO and the European Union.

"The EU must impose sanctions immediately," Latvian Foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics wrote on Twitter (NYSE:TWTR).

"I remain convinced such a course of escalation should be met with sanctions," his Lithuanian counterpart Gabrielius Landsbergis wrote in a tweet.

In a joint statement, Rinkevics and Latvia's president and prime minister called on the international community "to take the strongest possible measures to stop Russia’s aggression and offer assistance to Ukraine".

Separately, Estonia's president called on the European Union to impose sanctions for what he called the "gross and unjustifiable trampling on international law".

Lithuania's speaker of parliament will table a parliamentary motion to "never recognize" any change of status of the breakaway region, she said on Monday.

"Recognition of Donetsk & Luhansk separatist 'republics' by Russia is an intolerable violation of international law. It also means unilateral withdrawal from Minsk agreements", said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, referring to the Donbass ceasefire documents.

© Reuters. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and Lihuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte pose for media in Riga, Latvia February 4, 2022. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

The Baltic States said on Jan. 21 they will provide Ukraine with U.S.-made anti-armour and anti-aircraft missiles, days after receiving clearance from the U.S. State Department to send U.S.-made missiles and other weapons there.

The foreign ministers of the three Baltic countries plan to visit Ukraine together later this week in a show of solidarity.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.