In reaction to the mounting possibility of a Russian invasion, Ukraine’s security cabinet authorized measures to establish a state of national emergency on Wednesday.
According to the council’s secretary, Oleksiy Danilov, the proposal, which must be formally approved by parliament, calls for increased document and vehicle inspections, among other things.
Danilov said he will provide a report to Ukraine’s parliament later on Wednesday, and legislators are likely to adopt the increased security measures this week.
They would apply to all of Ukraine, with the exception of two Russian-backed separatist areas in the east, where a devastating insurgency erupted in 2014, killing over 14,000 people.
Following a broad set of limitations from the US and other Western nations targeting the economy and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s close circle, Kyiv encouraged Western nations to impose further sanctions on Russia.
More sanctions are needed “to stop Putin from further aggression.” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated in a tweet. Kuleba went on to say: “To stop Putin, the pressure must now be increased. His economy and buddies will be harmed.” According to Danilov, each of Ukraine’s regions will be allowed to choose which specific steps to implement, “depending on how necessary they might be”
“What could it possibly be? This might be further public order enforcement “Danilov explained.
The European Union’s foreign ministers have agreed on a package of penalties aimed at persons and businesses that “undermine Ukrainian integrity,” according to Josep Borrell, the bloc’s foreign policy leader.
The EU ambassadors agreed to the package on Wednesday, bringing the penalties one step closer to being formalized. After final clearance from foreign ministers, the complete sanctions package is scheduled to be released later Wednesday.
The Wall Street Journal says that EU penalties will target Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the Internet Research Agency, a troll farm, as a preview of what such measures may look like. According to Bloomberg, the EU is also planning to prohibit the acquisition of Russian government bonds.