ABOVE: Ukrainians protest outside Russian Embassy in Kyiv Friday to demand the removal of Russian troops from the Crimean Peninsula
SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine – Pro-Russian forces numbering more than 11,000 controlled all access to Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and have blockaded all military bases that have not yet surrendered, Crimea’s new leader said.
The West has joined the new Ukrainian leadership in Kyiv in demanding that Russia pull its forces from Crimea, but little progress was reported after a flurry of diplomatic activity in Paris on Wednesday involving U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The European Union leaders will meet for an emergency session in Brussels on Thursday to decide what sorts of sanctions they can impose on Russia over its actions in Ukraine. Moscow has threatened to retaliate if any punitive measures are put in place.
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The EU on Wednesday extended $15 billion in aid to help support the new Ukrainian government, which took over in late February after months of protests drove out the Moscow-supported president, Viktor Yanukovych.
U.S. Congress rushing to put in place Russia sanctions but needs help
The U.S. sanctions push represents a rare case of broad agreement among the Obama administration and Democrats and Republicans in both houses of Congress. But they’re also united in their concern that American economic penalties will mean little without the participation of European countries with far deeper commercial relations with Russia.
The Senate is taking the lead with legislation that would combine loan guarantees to Ukraine’s fledgling government and measures against Russian government officials, state-owned banks and companies. The goal of the sanctions is to force Putin to withdraw Russian troops from Crimea. The bill could be introduced as early as next week.
Canadian observers headed to Ukraine
Prime Minister Stephen Harper condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Wednesday.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a clear violation of international law,” said Harper in a statement. “As such, today I am announcing that we are suspending our participation in the Canada-Russia Intergovernmental Economic Commission, established to promote economic relations between Canada and Russia.”
Harper confirmed that Canada will send observers to join an unarmed military mission in the Ukraine and will impose sanctions on the regime of fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych.
He told the House of Commons the observers will help to monitor the Russian military intervention in Crimea.
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