Following the downing of commercial flight MH17 and allegations of Moscow backing separatists in eastern Ukraine, the European Union on Tuesday reportedly adopted tough new economic sanctions against Russia.
Two EU diplomats told the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity that the sanctions will include: “an arms embargo, a ban on the sale of dual use and sensitive technologies, and a ban on the sale of bonds and equities by state-owned Russian banks in European capital markets.”
The new measures, which were decided at a meeting of all EU ambassadors, also target Russia’s oil industry by restricting sales of some of the equipment it uses. Furthermore, eight more Russian officials—including four close to President Vladimir Putin—will face asset freezes and travel bans within the EU.
This report comes only a day after the U.S. accused the Kremlin of violating the 1987 nuclear missile treaty. At a news conference in Washington, Secretary of State John Kerry also mentioned that the U.S. plans to impose more sanctions against Russia.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied providing weapons to rebels in Ukraine.
