EU Adds Names To Sanctions List, Fails to Agree On Economic Sanctions

The EU has imposed sanctions on another 12 individuals over Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, but failed to agree on economic sanctions. 

With this the total number of persons on the sanctions list reached 33. 

Meanwhile, the EU leaders warned that further economic sanctions can be imposed on Russia, if the situation in Ukraine deteriorates. 

The EU said any further steps by Russia to destabilise Ukraine would have "far-reaching consequences".

Following a summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday evening, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy described Russia's annexation of Crimea as "a clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and of international law".

"We strongly condemn the unconstitutional referendum in Crimea. We will not recognise the annexation, nor will we recognise it in the future," he said. "There is no place for the use of force and coercion to change borders on the European continent in the 21st Century."

Van Rompuy said that the 28-nation bloc was also cancelling an EU-Russia summit in June and member states would cancel regular bilateral summits.

US President Barack Obama also announced further US sanctions as Moscow prepares to finalise the treaty taking Crimea into the Russian Federation.

The EU and Ukraine will on Friday sign parts of the accord that sparked the country's deadly unrest in November.

EU leaders will sign political elements of the Association Agreement with Ukraine's interim PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Brussels.

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