EU foreign ministers have said they
may use targeted sanctions against Ukraine as a last resort.
Anti-government protesters are now in
their third month of street action against President Yanukovich. They accuse
security forces of abductions and attacks on protesters. At least six activists
have died.
According to Euronews, at a meeting in
Brussels on Monday, French and German ministers said EU governments had decided
to keep the threat of sanctions in reserve in case the situation in Ukraine
grew worse.
“Nobody wanted immediate and general
sanctions. However, we decided to look again at targeted sanctions if ever the
situation becomes worse, which is not the case now. By doing so, we want to
send a clear signal, a clear message addressed to those the sanctions would
target,” said French minister for European affairs, Thierry Repentin.
Ministers also called on the Ukrainian
government to stop violence against demonstrators and make sure those who carry
out attacks against citizens are punished.
