‘Russia will feel the pain’ as European Union set to approve sanctions

Vladimir Putin has been granted powers to use his armed forces outside of Russia.

European Union ministers are reportedly close to unanimously agreeing sanctions on Russia following a significant escalation in tensions between Russia and Ukraine. On Tuesday, Russian legislators approved a request by Russian president Vladimir Putin for permission to use armed forces abroad. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian accused Russia of “violating international law” and “breaching its commitments”. It has since emerged that a meeting between Le Drian and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, scheduled for Friday, has been called off. Germany, meanwhile, has officially suspended the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

"We've got to ensure that whatever happens, that Russia certainly feels the pain, and that's going to happen," Irish EU affairs minister Thomas Byrne said on Tuesday.

"What has happened is a grotesque breach of international law. It's a grotesque breach of the sovereignty of Ukraine and that is something that Ireland, as a democratic country, will support Ukraine in that.

"We'll do that through the European Union, working in collaboration with our American colleagues," Byrne added.

https://twitter.com/ThomasByrneTD/status/1496076836413059073

Byrne's comments echo those of Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, who noted on Monday night that Ireland's support for Ukraine is "unwavering".

"Ireland's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its right to choose its own foreign and security policy path is unwavering," Coveney said. "The decision by the Russian Federation to proceed with the recognition of  the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine as independent entities contravenes international law, is a blatant violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity, and marks a clear and unilateral breach of the Minsk agreements. "Ireland supports a clear and strong EU response, including additional sanctions measures," he concluded.

European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Russia's formal identification of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics is "illegal and unacceptable".

https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1496095277811388416 On Monday, Moscow formally recognised the independence of Russian-backed rebel regions, Donetsk and Luhansk, in eastern Ukraine, and Putin deployed troops into the areas. Putin said the troops will be "peacekeeping" in the regions, which it has backed since 2014. The US has referred to the move as an "invasion". In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia is planning for a "full-scale" attack on its neighbour, telling a press conference: "Every indication is that Russia is continuing to plan for a full-scale attack of Ukraine." UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday announced sanctions against five Russian banks and three billionaires, saying Russia's actions amounted to a "renewed invasion". Johnson said the sanctions are the "first barrage" and would be extended if the situation escalates. Sanctions have also been imposed by the EU and US.