EU Considering Sanctions Amid Ukraine Unrest

The European Union is considering
sanctions on those responsible for the “repression” in Ukraine
amid the ongoing violence in Kiev between anti-government
protesters and security forces.

Protests began in November last year after the Ukrainian
government rejected a trade deal with the E.U. Since rejecting the
deal the Ukrainian government has received a
$15 billion bailout from Russia.

The BBC is
reporting that 26 people have been killed and hundreds have been
treated for injuries as a result of the recent violence,
the worst since Ukraine since gained independence from the
Soviet Union in 1991.

The New York Times outlined what sort of sanctions could
be imposed on those deemed responsible for the recent violence:

The imposition of so-called “smart sanctions” is a standard
foreign policy reflex of the European Union when confronted by acts
of violence. Over the years, officials have honed a system for
identifying individuals deemed responsible for repression, usually
imposing a travel ban preventing visits to the 28-nation European
Union and often freezing bank accounts.

Experts debate their effectiveness when applied to countries
such as Zimbabwe, but their likely use in this case underlines the
extent to which the bloc’s efforts to use its influence in its own
neighborhood have faltered.

Nevertheless, they appear highly likely to be introduced, José
Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, the
executive arm of the 28-nation bloc, having also said he expects
targeted measures against those responsible for violence.

According to the
Chicago Tribune, Poland and Latvia have called for the
E.U. to take emergency action, and France and Germany are expected
to release a statement later today.