MOSCOW, July 24 (RIA Novosti) - EU Council's Committee of Permanent Representatives on Thursday agreed to add further Ukrainian and Russian persons and entities to the list of those subject to an asset freeze and a visa ban over their role in the Ukrainian crisis.
Ambassadors from the 28 member states also agreed to expand the so-called 'designation criteria,' which "will pave the way for imposing asset freezes and visa bans on persons and entities that actively support or are benefiting from Russian decision makers responsible for the annexation of Crimea or the destabilisation of Eastern Ukraine," the committee said in statement.
"The legal acts bringing both these agreements into force will now be adopted by written procedure and will enter into force on publication in the EU Official Journal, scheduled for the late afternoon of July 25," the statement said.
According to the document, EU ambassadors will discuss proposals "on further targeted measures and proposals for taking action, including on access to capital markets, defense, dual use goods, and sensitive technologies, including in the energy sector" at their next meeting on Friday.
Earlier Thursday, reports came that the European Union will add another 15 individuals from Russia and Ukraine, as well as 18 companies, to its blacklist of sanctions over the crisis in Ukraine, following the Tuesday agreement of EU foreign ministers to speed up tougher measures against Russia.
Following the Tuesday meeting, Russia’s envoy to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov called the sanctions "a road to nowhere." On Wednesday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also said that Western actions against Russia are a way to conceal protectionist measures in the interests of certain companies. At the same time, Moscow received "clear signals" from the US and European companies about their intention to continue work in Russia.
The United States and the European Union imposed targeted sanctions against a number of Russian officials and companies as a response to Crimea’s reunification with Russia in March.
