The European Parliament intends to urge all EU member states in the EU Council to tighten sanctions against the Russian Federation in the event of an even greater aggravation of the situation in the Sea of Azov, according to the EP's draft resolution.
In particular, the draft states that the European Parliament declares illegality of the construction of the Kerch Strait bridge and welcomes the decision of the European Council to impose restrictive measures on the six companies that were involved in the bridge construction.
In this regard, according to the draft resolution, the European Parliament urges the Vice-President, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, together with the EU member states in the European Council, to clarify that targeted sanctions against Russia will be strengthened, if the conflict in the Sea of Azov escalates further.
It is also assumed that MEPs will express their concern about the participation of European companies in the construction of the Kerch Strait bridge, since such participation undermines the EU sanctions regime, either consciously or unconsciously.
Read alsoMilitarization in Azov region could lead to destabilization in Black Sea – Mogherini
In this regard, the European Parliament intends to urge the European Commission to examine and verify compliance with the EU's existing restrictive measures, and the member states – to exchange information on whether criminal cases have been opened in cases of possible violations of the EU sanctions regime by European companies.
As UNIAN reported earlier, on October 25, the European Parliament will consider a resolution concerning the situation in the Sea of Azov. On October 23, the European Parliament held a debate on the issue, where the MEPs offered to introduce new sanctions against the Russian Federation because of the situation in the region.
Earlier, on October 12, President Poroshenko introduced the Decree of the National Security and Defense Council "On Urgent Measures to Protect National Interests in the South and East of Ukraine, in the Black and Azov Seas and the Kerch Strait." The NSDC decree emphasizes that, having considered threats to national security in the south and east of Ukraine, in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas and the Kerch Strait, caused by aggressive actions of the Russian Federation, the Council stated that there are conditions that could lead to a critical destabilization of the economic and social political situation , the maritime blockade of the Ukraine coast.
The Cabinet has been instructed to create an interdepartmental coordinating body that should generalize the legal position of the state on the preparation of the official consolidated claim to Russia regarding the international legal responsibility of the Russian Federation for armed aggression against Ukraine.