Foreign Minister: EU Sanctions Will Not Be Last If Russia Continues Intervention in Ukraine
The EU is ready to establish further economic sanctions if the substantial package announced on Tuesday does not make Russia reconsider its actions, said Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet.
With capital markets, defense contractors and energy sector targeted by the measures decided in Brussels, Paet called it the most resolute step taken yet vis-à-vis Russia.
Asked how smoothly the negotiations among EU members had gone, Paet, speaking to ETV from New York, said that the missile strike on the Malaysian airliner MH17 in Ukraine had given a push to agreeing the sanctions.
"After that, movement toward a third wave of sanctions sped up significantly and objections became much less," Paet said.
"The last week and a half have seen very intense activity toward today's decision," he added.