The European Commission has got down to the preliminary preparation of likely sanctions against Russia, although no decision to that end has been made yet, Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said in a statement.

Kocijancic said she could confirm that preliminary work has got under way, TASS reported.

On March 6th, the EU summit took the decision to suspend talks with Russia on easing the visa regime, as well as on a new partnership agreement.

The participants in the summit warned that if there were no sign of détente in Ukraine, the European Union could cancel the EU-Russia summit, due in June, and could also draw up the “black list” of Russian functionaries who will be banned from entering the EU countries and whose assets will be blocked.

After that, the European Union could go further still and initiate economic sanctions.
 

News ID 186353