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2/19/2014

At least 25 people are dead after deadly clashes in Ukraine


Senior German MP Calls for Sanctions on Yanukovych

A first senior lawmaker in German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party Wednesday called for sanctions to be imposed on Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych and his family as a result of violence in Ukraine.



Andreas Schockenhoff, deputy parliamentary floor leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, said, “We think sanctions on individuals are compelling against those who have ordered the use of violence and are responsible for extreme violence.
“President Yanukovych and his family certainly are part of this, including the interior minister, the head of the secret service and also all who are personally responsible for the death toll, casualties and escalation.”
Ms. Merkel has previously said negotiations should be tried first with the Ukraine but other options are on the table if talks prove unsuccessful to bring about a peaceful transformation process. She tried to reach Mr. Yanukovych by phone during Tuesday’s violence in Kiev, but was unable to get through.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Tuesday evening it was time to consider sanctions on individuals. Earlier Wednesday, he called the Ukrainian president’s refusal to conduct serious negotiations a “big mistake.”
The chancellor’s office and the foreign ministry have so far not publicly called for sanctions on Mr. Yanukovych.
Ms. Merkel is expected to comment on the latest developments in Ukraine during a joint news conference with French President Francois Hollande in Paris scheduled later Wednesday.


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