The European Parliament today backed tough new sanctions against Russia, including an arms embargo and asset freezes, unless Moscow reverses its military intervention Crimea.
Lawmakers passed a non-binding resolution calling for the European Union to consider "appropriate measures," such as an embargo on arms and technologies that could be used for military operations.
The resolution was adopted by a large majority of MEPs as EU foreign ministers prepare to meet in Brussels on Monday to discuss their next steps over Russia's intervention in the Crimean peninsula.
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The resolution called for the bloc to freeze the assets of Russians who are "implicated in the decision-making process linked to the invasion of Ukraine," along with Russian companies with links to the energy sector.
Kremlin-backed forces have taken de facto control of Crimea ahead of Sunday's controversial plebiscite on closer ties with Moscow, after which the peninsula is expected to be rapidly absorbed into Russian territory.
Alexei Pouchkov, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in Russia's lower house, yesterday warned Moscow would respond in kind to any EU sanctions, which could trigger an "unprecedented cooling" in relations.
"It would be worse than during the Cold War when contacts like this allowed some easing of international tensions," he said.
European politicians today condemned Russia's "act of aggression in invading Crimea" and described Sunday's planned referendum on whether it should be incorporated into Russia as "illegitimate and illegal".
The resolution also called for the EU to strengthen existing visa restrictions against Russia as soon as possible.
European leaders on March 6 agreed to a three-stage approach to the crisis in Ukraine to steadily ratchet up the pressure on Moscow to get it to reverse course.
