Two days, two big blows for Moscow.
European Union foreign ministers are meeting today to finalize sanctions against Russia, due to Moscow's continued transfer of arms, equipment, and fighters into eastern Ukraine. European nations had been hesitant to apply such sanctions due to their close economic links with Russia, particularly their dependency on Russian natural gas, but it seems like the downing of Flight 17 two weeks ago has underlined just how serious a threat to regional security the ongoing conflict in Ukraine really is.
The sanctions will reportedly target Russia's banking sector and high-technology exports to Russia's energy sector. They will also impose an arms embargo. This comes hot on the heels of yesterday's decision by Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to award $50 billion in damages to former shareholders in Yukos, the Russian energy firm nationalized by the Russian state in 2005.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Putin, however, claims to not really care. According to the Financial Times, an unnamed source close to him claimed these matters were insignificant in the context of the larger impasse over Ukraine. He menacingly added: "There is a war coming in Europe. Do you really think this matters?"
-
Should Labour break manifesto pledge and raise taxes?Today's Big Question There are ‘powerful’ fiscal arguments for an income tax rise but it could mean ‘game over’ for the government
-
Nigerian Modernism: an ‘entrancing, enlightening exhibition’The Week Recommends Tate Modern’s ‘revelatory’ show includes 250 works examining Nigerian art pre- and post independence
-
To the point: the gender divide over exclamation marksTalking Point 'Men harbouring urges to be more exclamative' can finally take a breath – this is what using the punctuation really conveys
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
