Russia faces new sanctions, war fears rise
The West reacted swiftly to Putin’s decision to recognise the independence of two self-proclaimed republics in Ukraine
WASHINGTON: Russia faced the prospect of harsh new Western sanctions on Tuesday after President Vladimir Putin recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine and ordered the deployment of troops there, deepening Western fears of a major war in Europe.
Ukraine said two soldiers had been killed and 12 wounded in shelling by pro-Russian separatists in the east in the past 24 hours, and reported new hostilities on Tuesday morning.
A Reuters journalist saw tanks and other military hardware moving through the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk overnight, but no insignia were visible on the vehicles.
Western leaders are trying to work out what Putin will do next, and whether Russia plans a full-scale invasion of Ukraine after massing troops near the borders of its ex-Soviet neighbour and demanding a redrawing of security arrangements in Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his country may break off diplomatic relations with Moscow.
Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, unanimously ratified the Kremlin’s treaties recognising two self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine. Putin’s announcement on Monday, and his signing of a decree on the deployment of Russian troops to “keep peace” in the two breakaway regions, drew international condemnation.
Germany made the first big move, taking steps to halt the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia - a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow, but criticised by the US for increasing Europe’s reliance on Russian energy supplies.
US President Joe Biden signed an executive order to halt US business activity in the breakaway regions and European Union officials met to discuss sanctions.
The latest developments were enough to force the 27-nation bloc into a mode of high alert, and the European Union’s foreign ministers would be deciding later on Tuesday on how deep a first batch of sanctions would have to cut.
It would likely stop far short of the “massive” package threatened by the EU and Washington for a full military invasion into national territory that Kiev still controls.
“We’ve got to ensure that, whatever happens, Russia will feel the pain ... to make sure Russia has absolutely no incentive to go further,” said Ireland’s Europe minister, Thomas Byrne.
A senior US official said the deployment of Russian troops to the breakaway regions did not merit the harshest sanctions the United States and its allies have prepared in the event of a fullscale invasion, as Russia already had troops there.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov brushed off the threat of sanctions, saying the West would impose them regardless of events.
“Our European, American, British colleagues will not stop and will not calm down until they have exhausted all their possibilities for the so-called punishment of Russia,” he said.
Russia has denied planning to attack its neighbour but threatened “military-technical” action unless it receives sweeping security guarantees including a commitment that Ukraine will never join Nato.
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the recognition of the two regions did not affect Russia’s readiness for talks with the US, the Tass news agency reported.
Britain said it had drawn up sanctions to target those complicit in the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and those measures would come into force on Tuesday.
A senior British minister said the situation was as grave as the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.
“You can conclude that the invasion of Ukraine has begun,” health secretary Sajid Javid said.
China said it was concerned and urged all parties to exercise restraint while Japan said it was ready to join international sanctions on Moscow in the event of a full-scale invasion. Turkey said Russian recognition of the two regions was unacceptable.
Syria’s foreign minister said Syria backed Moscow’s decision to recognise the two breakaway regions, state TV reported. Syria has been beholden to Putin since his forces helped turn the tide of a civil war in favour of President Bashar al-Assad.
Our country will... coordinate with the international community on stern responses including sanctions YOSHIMASA HAYASHI, Japanese Foreign Minister