[article=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28551391]The EU has adopted new economic sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, targeting the oil sector, defence equipment and sensitive technologies, EU sources say.
The aim is to increase the cost to Russia of its continued support for pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Moscow denies charges by the EU and US that it is supplying heavy weapons to the rebels.
Russian state banks' access to capital is also likely to be restricted.
Details are still coming in, and the full sanctions statement is expected on Wednesday, when the EU is also set to name more Russian officials facing asset freezes and travel bans in Europe.
Calls for the EU to act have been fuelled by the downing of flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on the Malaysia Airlines jet were killed, many of them Dutch citizens.
An international team has again failed to access the crash site, amid heavy fighting between government forces and rebels there.
Western governments believe the rebels shot the plane down with a Russian missile.[/article]
I don't understand the point/validity of these sanctions. Are there other reasons why they're being implemented because the reasoning isn't very clear/credible?
It seems to be that the sanctions against russia are purely factored around them arming/training/funding rebels/separatists in the ukraine? Is that correct? Because if it is, what sanctions are the UK and US being hit with for their arming/training/funding of rebels/separatists in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan etc? Or are there other reasons for the sanctions that I've missed?
The aim is to increase the cost to Russia of its continued support for pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Moscow denies charges by the EU and US that it is supplying heavy weapons to the rebels.
Russian state banks' access to capital is also likely to be restricted.
Details are still coming in, and the full sanctions statement is expected on Wednesday, when the EU is also set to name more Russian officials facing asset freezes and travel bans in Europe.
Calls for the EU to act have been fuelled by the downing of flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on the Malaysia Airlines jet were killed, many of them Dutch citizens.
An international team has again failed to access the crash site, amid heavy fighting between government forces and rebels there.
Western governments believe the rebels shot the plane down with a Russian missile.[/article]
I don't understand the point/validity of these sanctions. Are there other reasons why they're being implemented because the reasoning isn't very clear/credible?
It seems to be that the sanctions against russia are purely factored around them arming/training/funding rebels/separatists in the ukraine? Is that correct? Because if it is, what sanctions are the UK and US being hit with for their arming/training/funding of rebels/separatists in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan etc? Or are there other reasons for the sanctions that I've missed?
