Kuleba calls on EU to apply new sanctions mechanism against reps of occupation administration who violate human rights in Crimea

KYIV. Oct 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has met with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on the sidelines of the 23rd Ukraine-EU summit, during which, in particular, the issue of EU sanctions against Russia was discussed.

"The minister expressed gratitude for the decision of the EU Council to impose additional sanctions against eight representatives of the Russian occupation administration in Crimea. He drew attention to the importance of the next continuation of the EU economic and sectoral sanctions against the Russian Federation in December 2021," the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said on Tuesday.

It is noted that Kuleba also appealed to the head of the EU diplomacy with an appeal to apply the new Global Human Rights Mechanism of EU sanctions to violators of human rights in Crimea. He also called on the EU to give priority attention in the field of human rights protection to the situation in the occupied peninsula.

"We insist on tough sanctions against the aggressor state. Russia has been systematically violating international law and international humanitarian law, human rights, destroying lives and destinies of people for more than seven years. Millions lost their homes, tens of thousands lost people, thousands of them lost freedom. These are sufficient grounds for preserving and strengthening the existing sanctions regime, introducing new restrictive measures," the minister emphasized.

During the meeting, the diplomats also discussed the successful holding of the constituent summit of the Crimea Platform in Kyiv, joint steps to implement the provisions of its final declaration and further support of the initiative from the EU.

"Josep Borrell reaffirmed the EU’s unwavering support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, as well as the EU’s readiness to continue to support Ukraine in resisting Russian aggression and introducing reforms," the Foreign Ministry said.

They add that Kuleba invited Borrell to visit Ukraine in the near future, in particular, he offered to visit the line of contact with the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

As reported, on the eve, the European Council approved a decision that will impose sanctions in the form of an asset freeze and a ban on entry to eight more persons for active support of actions and the implementation of policies that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

The sanctions, in particular, were imposed on judge of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Crimea Galina Redko, director of the Federal Security Service’s branch in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol Leonid Mikhailiuk, judge of the Kievsky District Court of the city of Simferopol Andrey Dolgopolov, and prosecutor of the Southern Military District Yevgeniy Kolpikov.