Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans has expressed confidence that the EU must be ready to switch to the third economic phase of sanctions if the situation in Ukraine does not change. Before the meeting of the Council of the European Union (EU) to be held on April 14 in Luxemburg, he said that the EU must be ready to the third phase if there were no changes in the situation.
It is very important to use opportunities we have in the second phase
as they have not yet been exhausted, he said. He said the EU must be
well prepared to switch to the next phase if required. He expressed hope
that Russia will look for a way out of the situation and not continue
escalation.
Timmermans said that the events in Ukraine cause “extreme concern.”
Asked if Russia is behind the events in Ukraine he said that the
problem is that this looks like what earlier happened in Crimea.
“If a horse looks like a horse, it does not look like a zebra,” he said.
He stated that the EU countries must be informed on the events via
the European Commission and the European External Action Service so that
the EU can take quick actions.
