Foreign Affairs MEPs call for tightening Russia sanctions after Mariupol attack
The Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs called in a debate on Monday on the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to present EU foreign ministers on Thursday with concrete proposals for further restrictive actions towards Russia, following the escalation of violence in the Donbas region and the shelling of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. Time is now for action, many MEPs underlined and suggested furthering of sanctions namely in financial or banking sectors.
In a debate with the Ukrainian Ambassador to the EU, Kostiantyn Yelisieiev, some MEPs also stressed that NATO and EU countries should react to Russia's deliveries of heavy weaponry into the Ukraine territory by delivering arms to Ukraine.
The debate followed the shelling of Mariupol on Saturday, which left more than 30 civilians dead. Following Saturday's attacks, the EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, has called for an extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council to discuss Ukraine on 29 January.
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