Putin Vows to Press Rebels, Help MH17 Crash Probe
Russian President Vladimir Putin promised Tuesday to do everything possible to influence pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine and help ensure a full probe into the Malaysia Airlines crash last week.
However he added that it would not be enough with Kiev's continuing military operation against the rebels, adding that the West must push Ukraine's authorities to declare a ceasefire.
"Russia will do everything in its power for a full, comprehensive, deep, and transparent investigation," Putin told a meeting of the national security council, according to excerpts broadcast by Russian state television.
"We are asked to exert influence on the militants of the south-east (of Ukraine). Of course we will do everything in our power.
"However this would be absolutely inadequate" given fresh attacks by Ukrainian troops, said Putin.
"Tanks broke through to the train station," he said of Monday's clashes on the outskirts of Donetsk. "International experts who came to the tragedy could not lift their heads."
Ukrainian "authorities must be called upon to abide by elementary decency, to introduce a ceasefire, at least for a short time for the investigation," Putin added.
Meanwhile, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said also on Tuesday that the European Commission will shortly begin work on defense sector sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis.
The "EU commission will be tasked to prepare targeted sanctions in the sectors of key technology and military," he said.
Other EU sources confirmed his comments, which came as a regular meeting of EU foreign ministers tried to work out a united response after last week's downing of flight MH17 over rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine and amid Western allegations that the separatists shot down the flight with a Russia-supplied missile system.
One source said other areas being looked at, other than defense and high technology, included access to European financial markets, the energy sector and dual-use goods which can have both civil and defense applications.
It was not immediately clear if such measures would go beyond the current "Phase 2" visa bans and asset freezes which the EU has imposed on 72 Russian and Ukrainian figures for their role in the crisis to much broader "Phase 3" measures involving real pain for all sides.
Such a step would require another summit after EU leaders agreed only last Wednesday to extend the Phase 2 measures because Russia showed no sign of reversing course in Ukraine.
Britain has led the way for tougher measures and Prime Minister David Cameron called Monday for Phase 3 steps and an arms embargo on Russia following the loss of flight MH17 with nearly 300 dead.
It was not immediately clear if defense sector sanctions would affect France's Mistral warship deal with Russia, which is worth 1.2 billion euros ($1.6 billion).
Source: Agence France Presse
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